The Dragon and His Keeper
by forgeurheart
Summary: Lucy transferred universities in hopes of joining one of the largest guilds, Fairy Tail. A certain motion-sick, fire mage welcomed her with open arms. What if the dragon slayers were cursed when the dragons left though? How would it impact their lives and the guild? For Natsu, it put his close friends in danger. Lucy, who seemed to have captured his heart, was no exception.
1. Finding A Home

**Author Notes:** _Hello everyone! This is my first NaLu fic and I have had a lot of fun writing it! This idea has been in my head for months and I finally have it written. I plan on updating frequently until all 13 chapters are posted. I hope you all enjoy it! Please feel free to leave comments! I always appreciate advice or comments from readers and other writers! Thanks in advance! I hope everyone enjoys it!_

 _Additional note: This work is also published on AO3 under my account [I have the same username on both websites]._

 **September 2nd**

Curse that midnight special. Why do late night reruns of romantic comedies even exist? They're just black holes that suck viewers in until it's past two in the morning and they realize they have to wake up in four hours to get ready for the day. I mean, really, who thought it would be a good idea? Apparently I did last night. As soon as I saw the title on the guide, I brewed some coffee and plopped right on the couch to indulge in the onscreen romance and playful banter of the two main characters. Screw my lack of self-control. A yawn escaped my lips as I snatched my gate keys, clipping them to my belt before grabbing an apple and sprinting out the door. Of all the days to snooze my alarm seven times, it just had to be today. I can't miss Monster Literature again or Dr. Roche may eat me. My eyes scanned the side streets until the little green overhang fell into my line of sight. I skidded to a stop, nearly face planting on the hot cement as the bus doors slid open. The bus driver narrowed his eyes at me as I got my act together and yanked my ID from my pocket.

"Good morning sir!" I smiled brightly, stepping up onto the bus and swiping my ID. He didn't bother responding and my lips tilted down as I turned to face the fairly empty bus. It always picked up downtown before stopping at the dorms nearby. Running to this stop was the only way to guarantee a seat on the bus. I stepped forward, the bus lurching into action, sending me flying towards the lap of the only man curled up by the door. He was too preoccupied with holding his stomach to notice me as I flailed, landing on the seat next to him. I fixed a glare on the bus driver who was also oblivious to my existence. He could have at least waited for me to sit down! It's not like anyone on this bus is in a rush! Low groaning escaped the lips of the man beside me and I felt my eyes being drawn to him. In fact, he was quite an odd character. His pink, spiky hair was untamed and a white scaled scarf rested around his neck over the top of a black t-shirt. A bag shifted by his feet and I tried not to stare. He continued curling forward, his moaning intensified as the bus driver ruthlessly whipped around a corner, nearly sending both of us onto the ground.

"Think you could slow down Mr. Bus Driver?" The man whimpered, groaning again as the bus screeched to a stop. The doors flung open and more students flooded on. It was then,with the bus stationary, that the man opened his eyes and set his curious, onyx gaze on me. We both blinked, eyes locked on one another. A young guy took the seat between us and the pinkette didn't pull his gaze from mine. That was until the bus lurched forward again and the man huddled over in pain, his cheeks puffed out. I blinked a few times, finally pulling my eyes away to study the passing scenery. After a few more minutes, the library caught my eye and I yanked the pull-cord, signalling the bus driver that I wanted to stop. He slammed on the breaks and the man beside me groaned again, his body hitting the wall of the bus. Sorry stranger! I hauled my bag over my shoulder and dropped off the bus, most of the students following. It was the center of campus and a popular drop-off stop.

"Behold! The mighty Salamander!" My heart stopped beating entirely before picking up speed and nearly escaping my chest. He's here? I thought he was on a quest in the East! I kicked up speed, following the swarms of giggling girls. At the center of the crowd was a tall, lanky man with deep blue hair and a cloak. He had a wide grin on his face and I was entranced. Is this truly Salamander? Maybe he will take pity on me and get coffee some day this week. We could end up falling in love and taking on the world after we graduate! The adventures would never end! As the girls flocked to the man in the cloak, pink spikes pulled my attention. The man from the bus stood a few feet away, eyes narrowed at the man. He didn't look ill anymore, standing tall with his shoulders squared. A blue cat resided on his shoulder, its eyes narrowed as well. Wait, a blue cat? I glanced back at the man's face, acknowledging his onyx gaze and sharp jawline. Just like that, the illusion was shattered. My heart slowed and I clenched my fists. My brain slowly emerged from the trance and I cursed under my breath. That slimy creep is using charm magic!

"You aren't Salamander buddy." The pink-haired man shoved through the adoring crowd and they all turned to glare at him. The group of men hanging back behind the phony closed in around the back of the crowd, glares fixed on the man and his cat.

"Why of course I am young man! Here, I will even give you my autograph!" The man used a deep purple fire to etch his name into paper before handing it off with a broad grin on his lips. "I am Salamander of Fairy Tail! Dance with me ladies! I wish to get to know all of you before I leave on my next quest!" He spun in the center, the purple fire dancing around him. This loser can't be Salamander. He really needed the charm magic, otherwise the women would see right through him. He was spineless, while the real Salamander would be strong and confident.

"Funny, I don't remember seeing you at our guild hall. I know everyone in my guild and you aren't a part of it." The man growled, lifting the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a red sigil tattooed on his shoulder. HE'S A MEMBER OF FAIRY TAIL? "We don't take kindly to people imitating Fairy Tail wizards, do we Happy?" He glanced at his cat who dropped down onto the ground, standing on two feet.

"Aye sir!" It thrust its paw in the air with a grin on its face.

"You heard the cat. Time to teach you a lesson punk." The man slammed his fists together, fire wrapping around his wrists and knuckles. My eyes widened as I stepped back, majority of the girls following suit.

"I'd like to see you try!" The fake Salamander shouted, sending his flames to engulf the pink-haired man. My breath caught in my throat as the man laughed, thinking he easily defeated the Fairy Tail wizard. The flames slowly dissipated, swirling up and into the mouth of the wizard. He smiled widely, fangs bared as his eyes shut slightly. He swiped his lips with the back of his hand and fixed a glare on the other wizard.

"Now I've got a fire in my belly. This is your last chance pal." He warned and the fake Salamander shot more flames at him. He dodged them effortlessly and shouted as he sprinted forward. "Fire dragon's roar!" Flames shot from his mouth, scorching the other wizard who collapsed. The fire mage stepped forward, flames wrapping around his ankles before he shot off the ground. He managed to punch a few nearby wizards, leaving scorch marks on their cheeks. The other men that were lurking in the corners fled, screaming as they ran. The girls all ran as well, terrified of the fire mage. His eyes finally fell on me and they softened, the fire wisping away into the air. "Yo! You're the girl from the bus. Are you okay?" His head tilted as he smiled widely again, his demeanor oddly jubilant. My eyes were wide as the cat walked over to me.

"Natsu, I think you scared her." He frowned, blinking up at me. I shook my head, straightening my skirt before clearing my throat.

"I'm fine. That creep was using charm magic, but I snapped out of it." I explained and his eyes studied me for a moment. They fell to my keys before he smiled again.

"You're a celestial wizard?"

"Yep!" I nodded and he kept smiling at me until a growl escaped his stomach. His hands gripped it and he frowned.

"Damn, fighting that guy made me hungry. Happy, do we have any food?" He glanced down at his cat who shook his head.

"You ate it all before we left the East." He muttered, walking back towards Natsu. I reached into my bag and pulled out the honeycrisp apple from earlier. I held it out to Natsu with a small smile.

"It's not much, but you can have this." He sniffed at the air a moment before meeting my gaze. "It's my way of thanking you." I insisted as my own stomach growled. If he didn't take it, I was going to devour it. "Please take it." He finally accepted the apple with a smile. He handed it to Happy who cheered before digging into it.

"Come on! Mira can make something for us at the guild hall." He walked by me and paused a few steps away. "Oh, right! What's your name?" He questioned over his shoulder.

"I'm Lucy!" I blurted, urging my feet to move so I could catch up with him.

"Nice to meet yah Lucy! I'm Natsu and this is Happy!" He grinned as I fell into step beside him.

"It's nice to meet you both." We walked together through campus and up the steps to a huge castle-like guild hall. It was breathtaking. Shouting and loud voices could be heard through the large oak doors and Natsu hopped up the final few steps.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" He threw the doors open and we were immediately assaulted with people. A blast of ice hit Natsu from the side and his body flew into the nearby table, splintering the wood on impact.

"Flame brain! Why the hell didn't you answer your phone?" A man with navy hair and grey boxers jumped forward, hands shaping more ice to hit Natsu with.

"Because it broke Ice Princess!" Natsu roared back, forming fire in his hands and launching forward to nail the other man in the face. They tumbled around, throwing different attacks at each other until nearly the entire guild was brawling.

"Gray! Your clothes!" Someone shouted and the navy-haired man seemed shocked by his lack of clothing before Natsu decked him again. He had a wide grin on his face, clearly amused by the assault.

"Hi there! Are you one of Natsu's friends?" A beautiful white-haired girl stood behind the bar, wiping a glass clean. She smiled brightly, awaiting my response.

"Her name is Lucy! She was on the bus with Natsu and I this morning! This is Mira, she makes the best fish!" Happy dropped onto the bar next to me.

"It's nice to meet you Lucy! Welcome to Fairy Tail! I would say it's not usually like this, but it's fairly normal for the guild to brawl." Mira smiled warmly, stacking the last glass.

"It's amazing." I said breathlessly, eyes scanning the various wizards. "Oh! I almost forgot. Do you have breakfast here?" I looked back at Mira who nodded with a smile. "Can I have pancakes and whatever Natsu and Happy usually get." Mira's eyes widened, glancing at Happy before looking back at me.

"Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded, handing her my debit card.

"Of course! I owe them for saving me and an entire group of women earlier!" And with that, Mira nodded and slid my card before handing it back and disappearing into the back room. The door to the guild slammed open and I turned to see a boot holding the oak against the wall.

"Enough!" A woman shouted, her voice echoing off the walls. She had long, deep red hair and silver armor. A horned skull rested on her shoulder and she let it drop into the center of the guild. "We have a guest and you are all acting like idiots! Enough Natsu! Gray!" She growled, yanking the two men apart. "Go put some clothes on!" She snapped at Gray who made himself scarce. Everyone worked to clean up the guild hall before the woman tossed Natsu on the ground by Happy. He groaned, rubbing his head before wiping the blood dripping from his lip. "My name is Erza Scarlet. You are?" She stood tall in front of me, her hand extended. This was THE Erza Scarlet! She's one of Fairy Tail's toughest wizards!

"My name is Lucy! Natsu brought me here. I actually transferred to this school to join Fairy Tail. I'm a celestial wizard." I explained, touching my fingers together nervously before shaking her hand. She had a firm handshake and she smiled proudly as a small man walked down the steps. He had white hair and a jester hat on his head. He stood on a table and eyed me.

"Master!" Erza bowed, turning away from me at once.

"Welcome back Erza. Natsu." The elder man chucked a cellphone at the fire wizard who was still sprawled out on the ground.

"Thanks Gramps!" He clutched the phone and grinned.

"Lucy, welcome to Fairy Tail! We all look forward to working with you." A stamp formed in his hand before he pressed it onto the back of my extended hand. All this time… I could have just walked in and introduced myself to the guild. They were all so welcoming. Tears welled in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away, replacing my surprise with a wide smile.

"Thank-you so much! I'm honored!" Instantly, I was pulled in by the guild members, pushed around until I met everyone. Their names were jumbled in my mind as I tried to keep everything straight. There were so many members! I had ended up sitting next to a shorter blue haired girl named Levy. We gushed over the latest romance novel that came out the day prior. Turns out, she was in my department as an English major! She even let me borrow her notes from Monster Literature. Our conversation was cut short when Mira called out my name, signaling that my order was ready. I smiled at Levy before saying farewell and dropping off the stool, wandering over to slide into a booth next to Natsu. "Natsu! Look, I'm officially a member!" I beamed at him, holding my hand up for him to see the pink mark. He grinned, his smile full of light. Mira stepped out of the kitchen with her brother, Elfman. They dropped piles of plates onto the table before setting down a stack of pancakes in front of me.

"Mira, we didn't order this." Natsu had to wipe the drool escaping his mouth as he spoke.

"Lucy did! She said it was to thank you guys for saving her and other people earlier this morning!" She smiled sweetly before walking back to the bar to serve Cana, who was already four mugs in before noon. Apparently that was a common occurrence.

"Are you sure Lucy?" He blinked at me, eyes wide as Happy already sank his fangs into the first of many fish.

"Of course. You brought me to your guild and I wanted to thank-you for making my dream come true!" I smiled honestly and he beamed before digging into the feast.

"Hey Pyro! Maybe try chewing between mouthfuls!" Gray wandered over to the table, fixing a glare on Natsu.

"Shove off Popsicle!" He grumbled between bites, tearing into the meat easily with his fangs. Gray started forming more ice in his hands before Erza towered over him. He paused, slowly glancing up to meet Erza's glare.

"Enough Gray!" She snapped and he instantly retreated, deciding to glower at Natsu from the bar instead. Natsu didn't seemed bothered by it, preoccupied with the mountain of food on the table before him.

"So, Lucy. Want to pick a job for us? The board is over by the stairs!" He gestured to the job listings and I paused, pancake hovering by my mouth.

"You want to go on a quest with me?" I was baffled. I wasn't on the same level as Natsu, not even close. I knew the first job had to be completed with an older member, but I never expected to work with Natsu in the field.

"Of course, weirdo." He smiled between bites and I smiled in return. I nodded, finishing my breakfast before walking over to the board. My eyes scanned over the requests, weighing the pros and cons before picking one. It was odd though. It seemed like the guild quieted, eyes flicking between Natsu and I. It only made me more nervous so I needed to pick one quickly.I decided on the request for travel guards and hurried back to Natsu. "Protecting some big wig on his trip to another town this weekend? Sounds easy enough and the reward is good. Nice choice Luce!" He punched my shoulder gently and took the paper. I smiled, my eyes falling on the clock above the door. IT'S ELEVEN ALREADY?

"I'm going to be late for class! We can figure out a plan this evening, I'll be back around dinner time! Bye Natsu! Bye Happy!" I hauled my bag over my shoulder and sprinted towards the west side of campus. I can't be late to nature writing! I already missed one class this morning!


	2. The Pumpkin King

**October 31st**

I walked down the sidewalk, leaves of various reds and oranges crunching under my boots. The cool, fall breeze blew my bangs back as I made my way up the stairs to the quad in the center of campus. It was the annual Mongolia pumpkin carving festival and I had gone with Levy to pick the perfect pumpkin the day prior. It was a lot heavier than I expected and getting it on the bus was a hassle, but it'd be worth it once it was carved! The crowd of students, scattered around the cluster of tables, caught my eye and I picked up my speed until a man stepped into my path. I nearly collided with him, mumbling an apology under my breath before stepping to the side to continue my route. He touched my elbow gently, smiling slightly.

"Need a hand with that?" He questioned, a kind smile on his face. He was a handsome man with slicked back blonde hair and sparkling, blue eyes that wandered over my body one too many times.

"With what, the pumpkin? I think I can manage, but thanks. Are you going to the festival?" I eyed him skeptically, shifting the pumpkin in my hands to keep my arms from going numb.

"Well, I am the Pumpkin King." He declared, a prideful grin on his face. Is that really a thing at this school? Who even decides on the pumpkin king? I hadn't received any emails or flyers regarding voting. The man huffed and continued on after meeting my unimpressed stare. "Really, I don't mind. I was on my way to the festival anyway. A beautiful little lady, such as yourself, shouldn't have to carry such a heavy thing so far." He insisted, holding his arms up. I pulled back, putting more space between us.

"I'd be there already if you weren't so pushy." I muttered under my breath, though he seemed to not catch what I huffed. "Thanks, but I can manage. It's not much farther." I smiled politely, stepping around him and continuing down the sidewalk. Footsteps followed me and I frowned, my grip tightening on the pumpkin.

"Maybe after the festival, I can take you to lunch? There's a scrumptious little deli down by the bookstore." This guy was determined, I would give him that much credit.

"I actually have plans after the festival, but thank-you." I finally reached an empty table, placing the pumpkin on the hard plastic. I swung my backpack off my shoulders, freeing the kit I had bought earlier in the week from the bag. I set out my tools while the man just watched.

"How about dinner then? You truly are beautiful and I would love to get to know you better." He leaned closer to me, right into my personal space. My jaw clenched as I eyed him in warning.

"I have to help my friend with a project for one of his upper level classes, sorry." I spoke blandly, wishing the man would just disappear. His left brow raised as he stepped even closer.

"Is he your boyfriend?" His heated breath danced on my ear as he whispered.

"That's none of your business." I growled, fists clenching now.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing." His hand slyly groped my butt and I acted without thinking. I jumped back, my foot ending up colliding with his chest, sending him flying right into the table. My pumpkin ended up caving in from the impact and my heart sank. Damn it.

"Don't touch me." I snapped, wavering between fury and distraught. He smirked though, raising his hand to show my keys dangling from his fingers. I gasped, clutching at my side. "Give those back!" I growled, stepping forward. My spirits were the only reason I was alive today, they were all I had. I couldn't lose them. A warm hand circled my wrist and I glanced up, locking eyes with the familiar fire mage. "Natsu." I spoke softly and he gave me a reassuring smile before releasing my hand and cracking his knuckles. All of the anger boiling within my core dissipated and all it took was the fire mage's toothy grin.

"Is this your boyfriend? You could do better. The offer still stands, you know, after I pawn off your keys." The man chuckled, shoving himself to his feet.

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen. Just give the girl her keys back and I'll go easy on yah." Tendrils of flames wrapped around his wrists and ankles as he stood defensively in front of me.

"A fire wizard. Great." The guy rolled his eyes, forming a magic circle between the two of them. He chanted a few words, the flames dissipating. Natsu smirked in response to the man.

"Hey, Lucy?" I turned to him, eyes wide. "Hold this." He tossed me his phone before charging at the man. His fist collided with the man's face, sending the man flying into a tree. Natsu launched himself forward, fire from his feet serving as a springboard. He kneed the man in the stomach, before locking his arms around the man's body. A glint on the man's finger caught my eye as a ring reflected the sunlight.

"Natsu, he uses illusion magic! You can still use your magic!" I shouted up at him and he smirked, pulling them both towards the ground.

"Fire Dragon's Grip Strike!" He growled, blasting the man with flames at point blank range. They both collided with the ground, the Pumpkin King unconscious with Natsu sprawled out beside him in the crater.

"Natsu!" I shouted, sprinting over to him. He shot me a wide grin, holding my keys securely in his left hand as he pushed himself to a sitting position.

"I managed not to burn them." He smiled wider and I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms over his shoulders. He clasped the keys back on my belt and pulled both of us off the ground. "How'd you know about his magic?"

"The guy used minor illusion magic to make his opponents think he could counter their spells. He had a ring like the fake Salamander. The guy is just a person using charmed objects." I explained, my hand resting on the keys on my hip.

"Natsu. You're going to have to come with us." A woman stood behind me, eyes stern. She had a badge resting over her heart, showing she was campus police.

"Yeah, yeah. I know the drill. Want me to carry him? He might get handsy when he wakes up." Natsu gestured to the unconscious creep. A small smirk teased the officer's lips and she nodded, turning to walk away from the festival. "I'll be back soon. I just have to get reprimanded for being reckless again and harming another student. Don't go anywhere." He hopped away, hauling the man over his shoulder before running after the officer. I sighed, shaking my head with a smile before turning to the collapsed table. My pumpkin was ruined and my tools were thrown about the grass. I gathered them slowly, tossing them into my bag.

"Lucy! Are you okay?" I turned to see Levy running across the quad, concern swirling in her eyes. I nodded, gesturing to my pumpkin with defeat.

"This creep tried to steal my keys, but Natsu got them back. My pumpkin got caught in the crossfire of it all though." My shoulders slumped and she grabbed my hand, pulling me from the table.

"You can help me carve mine then! Jet and Droy are almost done with theirs and we can use the table after!" She beamed and I smiled at her optimism. We sat under a tree by their table, giggling over their playful banter with each other. They were clearly trying to impress Levy, but she remained oblivious to both of their crushes. Poor guys. Once they were done, we stood to examine Levy's pumpkin. We tried to plan a good design for it, sketching it out in her notebook.

"Lucy!" I glanced up, seeing Natsu running over to us, Happy on his tail. "Come on, I have something to show you." He entwined his fingers with mine, pulling me from the table.

"But-" I locked eyes with Levy, who seemed overly amused by the situation. "-the pumpkin." I finished and Natsu simply smiled wider.

"Bye Levy!" He called over his shoulder, not stopping his walk until we reached a table on the edge of the festival. A large pumpkin, nearly three times the size of my first one, resided on the ground. "It was too heavy for the table, but it'll still work, right?" He beamed and I smiled widely.

"Natsu, you got this for me?"

"Yeah, I asked Reedus to make it for you! He said it shouldn't rot until Thanksgiving!" Natsu smirked, Happy dropping onto his shoulder.

"Thank-you so much Natsu." I dropped my bag onto the ground, freeing the tools and handing a knife to Natsu and Happy. They hesitated, studying me for a moment. "We can all carve it!" At my words, they sprang into action. On one side of the pumpkin, a poorly carved dragon made a home. On the other side, was a fish. The final side had our guild symbol carved in. It was a bit of a mess, but I loved it.

"Sorry Luce. Guess we got a bit carried away." He scratched the back of his head, eyes trained on the setting sun.

"It's perfect!" I cheered, running forward to carry it to the lighting ceremony. Natsu waved me off, lifting the pumpkin and bending his knees. We hurried to the final ceremony, setting it in the middle of the line of jack-o-lanterns. "Crud, I didn't bring any candles!" I grumbled, searching through my bag that now smelled like pumpkin goop. Natsu chuckled beside me, stepping forward as the countdown began. At 1, everyone lit their candles while Natsu formed a flame in the center of our pumpkin. It was strong and the brightness rivaled the moonlight. Everyone cheered, wandering up and down the line to get a better view of all the pumpkins. We received an abundance of compliments on our pumpkin and Natsu nearly ate an entire bowl of candy by himself. We had hot apple cider and laughed with our guild members until the festival officially ended. Natsu had opted out of the bus ride back to my place and insisted he would meet me there. I didn't question it, understanding his disdain for transportation. I hopped off the bus, wandering along the river, on the edge of the cement sidewalk.

"Be careful lady!" A man called from his boat and I waved him off with a smile. He said some variation of that everyday. I reached my apartment, swinging open the door to reveal Natsu and Happy sitting at my table, scarfing down the leftover chili from my fridge. A small bowl resided at the empty chair, steam still escaping from it.

"Yo." Natsu smiled between mouthfuls. "This is delicious."

"I know. Mira made it for me yesterday." I grumbled, tossing my bag on the ground. It clanked against something and I turned back towards the entrance way. "Natsu, what is that?" I gestured to the oddly deformed tower, taking up space in my living room.

"A catapult!" He danced around the piece of abstract art and flicked a lever. A fish tumbled through the air landing in front of Happy who pounced on it without a second thought. This must be the midterm project he was talking about earlier in the week.

"Oh. You made a fish catapult?" My brow furrowed as I examined the contraption closer.

"Look, I never said I was a good engineer." He mumbled under his breath and hit the catapult with his fist, the machine falling to pieces. My eyes widened as he cursed softly under his breath. "I can fix that. Maybe." We both laughed as Happy sprinted forward, devouring the fish that spilled out of the machine. It was going to be a long night.


	3. Spicy and Sweet

**November 2nd**

The group of students trudged forward, all looking like zombies starved of energy. They craved caffeine, flooding the small café on campus at seven in the morning. It was like clockwork, occurring at the same time every morning with similar groups of students. Of course I was among them, needing caffeine in my bloodstream to function throughout the day. My feet were dragging as I moved with the line. I made the mistake of starting a new novel before bed and ended up cutting myself off around two. That particular occurrence happened more often than it should. You would think I would have learned by now. On this particular morning, the cafe was understaffed and the buses were late, causing a hodgepodge of chaos for the baristas and students trying to get to their eight am classes. I tried to be patient, eyes wandering the case of various baked goods while I indulged in the sweet cinnamon aroma that hung in the air. It's what I clung to, to keep myself alert. I managed to make it to the counter, ordering a honey cocoa latte before stepping over to the side counter.

"Natsu!" The barista called, setting the steaming cup on the counter. My eyes widened as I turned to scan the crowd. I was met with wide onyx eyes and a smirk the moment I turned around. Natsu was on my heels, our noses nearly brushing. My heart was thudding in my chest as we stared at one another. His face fell, shoulders immediately hunching as my breath faltered.

"Dang it. I almost had yah." He huffed, reaching around me to grab his cup. I blinked, trying to process what he meant by that. My brain wasn't functioning fully yet, so it was a bit of a challenge. Natsu's eyes were bright, his body buzzing with energy as he waited for me to respond. "Are you okay Luce?" His head tilted, brow furrowing as he studied my blank expression and leaned forward into my personal space once again.

"Yeah. I'm just still waking up. I only got a few hours of sleep last night." I mumbled, rubbing my eyes as my name was called. Natsu grabbed my cup as well and started walking to the counter by the front window.

"Well, come on then sleepy head." He grinned over his shoulder, placing our cups on the counter and pulling stools out for the both of us.

"Thanks." I yawned, smiling groggily as I dropped onto the stool. He continued to grin, sipping his coffee as I popped the lid off mine to let it cool to a drinkable temperature. "How can you drink that already? It's nearly boiling." I gawked at him as his left brow arched up in question. Oh. "Right, fire mage. Nevermind." I dropped my head into my hands and he chuckled.

"Wow, you must've had a rough night last night Luce." He clucked his tongue as he took another gulp. Wait a second.

"You tried to scare me earlier?" I grumbled, eyes narrowing on him as my brain finally caught up with reality. He sputtered a laugh, turning away from me as he became suddenly interested in the clock on the wall. I nudged his shoulder with my own, nearly knocking him off the stool.

"But I didn't!" He defended himself, clutching the counter to hold himself up.

"Only because the barista called your name!" I spat and he laughed again, turning back towards me. A strong spiced aroma wafted towards my nose as he turned and I flinched back. "What the hell are you drinking?"

"Chile mocha latte, extra chile powder." He held his cup out towards me. "Go on. I promise, it's great." He insisted and I hesitantly grabbed the cup. I sipped at it, the pleasant mocha warming me before the hot spice assaulted my tongue. I coughed, handing him the cup before covering my mouth.

"It's so spicy." I cried, my tongue hanging out of my mouth as tears welled in my eyes.

"That's the point. The spicier, the better!" He cheered, happily gulping down more of the liquid fire. I stared at him, tongue still cooling in the cold air as he continued on his merry way, rattling off about the spice successfully startling me awake. He wasn't wrong in that regard. Once I calmed, I drank my own latte, savoring the sweetness that settled in my soul. Natsu studied my cup and I held it out for him. He sipped at it and smile softly. "Honey? It's good, not too sweet." He commented and I nodded.

"It's honey cocoa. My mom used to make me honey hot chocolate when I was younger, so it's similar, just with espresso." I explained, sipping at it again.

"That sounds really nice." He commented, eyes trained on the crowd of students, wandering down the street towards campus.

"It was. I never really liked tea, so she would whip up the hot chocolate whenever I couldn't sleep. She would always sing and sway with me around the kitchen while it heated before enjoying a mug full with me before tucking me back in for the night." I reminisced as Natsu focused on my expression. "What?" Warmth blossomed on my cheeks, my body shrinking away from his intense stare.

"Nothing. Your mom sounds like a sweet lady." He responded, pulling his gaze from mine.

"She was." I agreed with his words, a sigh escaping my lips. His eyes widened, confusion clear on his face. I smiled softly. "She passed away when I was younger."

"I'm sorry." He frowned. I nodded as my eyes fell on the remnants of the latte before me. Fingers entwined with mine and my eyes widened. "Walk with me to the guild? We can find a new job! I don't have another exam for a few weeks." He gave me a toothy grin, fangs exposed to the sunlight arching through the window. Without waiting for an answer, he hopped off the stool, pulling me with him.

"Well, I was going to take the bus to campus. It's cold out." My eyes were trained on our conjoined hands. He chuckled.

"If that's what you're worried about, I'll keep yah warm Luce!" He beamed. I thought over his words for a moment. I was short on rent. Another job would help that, plus Natsu and I made a great team. It's not like Natsu would take the bus with me either.

"Sure. Let's go." I smiled and the warmth from his palm spread up my arm as he smiled.

"We should probably hurry anyway. Can't have you late to Monster Literature again!" He teased and tossed our empty cups away before yanking me out the door. He broke out into a sprint, my legs having trouble keeping up with him.

"Natsu!" I shouted, my lungs gasping for air. He grinned over his shoulder, slowing his pace slightly as we took off towards the center of campus and our home away from home.


	4. Fairy Tail's Strongest Team

**November 9th**

Plue danced around the bedroom, lifting a foot to twirl every now and then. I had bought Plue's gate key while out shopping with Levy earlier in the week. It had been a crazy two months at Fairy Tail and after the whirlwind that was last weekend, I decided to lay low this time. The quest after Halloween had gone well, it being another guarding task. Natsu even tag- teamed with Taurus for a bit until some ogre knocked me unconscious. I had woken up on Natsu's back, halfway back to town. The prince had arrived safely and they gave Natsu the reward. I had apologized to Natsu for being a burden and he just laughed it off and assured me that my spirits had helped take down the ogre ambush too. I took a deep breath, shaking the memory from my thoughts.

I had just finished a bath and was standing in front of the mirror, brushing my hair out. It was a beautiful night and the autumn breeze danced through my apartment.

"What is that?" A voice questioned from behind me. A screech escaped my lips as I spun and pegged my brush at the intruder. "What the hell was that for?" Natsu shouted, a bump forming on his forehead immediately from the impact.

"Natsu! How long have you been sitting there? Why are you here? How'd you get in?" I shouted the questions at him, tightening my grip on the plush towel wrapped around my body.

"Twenty minutes. We have a new job. Through the window." He muttered, keeping his answers short as he narrowed his eyes at me. I huffed, slamming my bathroom door to change. I pulled on leggings and a sweater before stepping back out into the room. He was still waiting on my bed, legs crossed under him. Happy was curled up on my pillow and I glared at him. "Seriously though, what is that?" He gestured to Plue who was still dancing, oblivious to Natsu and Happy.

"Plue. He's my dog." I responded and Natsu's mouth hung open. He quickly turned to Happy, covering his mouth with his hands.

"I think Lucy lost a few brain cells Happy. That's clearly not a dog. It looks more like a snowman. Look at its weird nose!" He whispered, confusion clear on his face.

"I can still hear you!" I growled and he gave me a cheeky smile. "He has paws." I added as Plue held his little paws up, a wide smile on his face.

"Why is he shaking? Is he sick?" He stood, towering over Plue as he narrowed his eyes. Plue scurried back behind my calf, peeking around at Natsu with me as his human shield.

"You're scaring him Natsu. Sit down." I gestured to my couch and he dropped back on my bed."NOT ON MY BED!" I shouted and he flinched, jumping up and dropping onto the couch. I bent down, scooping Plue into my arms. Natsu was grinning at me when I fixed a glare on him. "What are you smirking at?"

"Nothing." He shrugged, dropping back to lounge on my couch. Happy had dropped down to stand in front of my feet. I glanced down at his sad, round eyes.

"Lucy?" I waited for the blue fur ball to continue. "Do you have any fish?" I knelt down in front of him, sucking in a deep breath.

"No, because you and Natsu ate all the food in my kitchen yesterday." I growled and Happy bolted away to hide behind the couch.

"Lucy is scary." He mumbled and Natsu kept grinning like an idiot, oblivious to my glare. The two had frequented my apartment nearly every night the past two months, insisting that their house was boring and that they received too many noise complaints to host a party or do anything fun. Instead, they distracted me from writing my papers and ate all my food. A shrill ringing startled all of us and Plue vanished, hiding in the spirit world. Natsu scrambled for the phone in his pocket and flipped it open.

"Yo." He stated calmly before flinching away from the phone.

"NATSU! WHERE ARE YOU AND LUCY?" Erza. Her voice was drenched in anger and Natsu nearly dropped the phone.

"On our way!" He snapped the phone shut and jolted to his feet. "Erza wants us to accompany her on a quest involving some dark guild. We were suppose to meet her at the train station twenty minutes ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I bolted through the apartment, throwing my belongings into a backpack. Was it going to be hot there? I need short-sleeved tops. What if it's freezing? I'll bring sweaters and a jacket.

"Cause you were too busy yelling at me." He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You deserved it. Let's go!" I zipped my bag shut and grabbed his wrist, yanking him out of the apartment. I locked up and continued dragging him down the street.

"Sheesh, calm down Lucy." He clenched his jaw as we ran.

"It's your fault we are late and I don't want Erza to hate me." I snapped, picking up speed as Happy hurried after us. This was my first quest with the scarlet-haired wizard and I didn't want to disappoint her.

"She's going to take it out on me, so calm down Luce." He sounded so sincere when he spoke that I halted to a stop. He gave me a wide, reassuring grin before grabbing my hand to pull me along. After a few more minutes, we reached the train station to find Erza waiting with a pile of suitcases residing on a cart. My eyes widened before the area beside me heated. "What is Popsicle doing here?" Natsu snarled, fire forming in his fists. He still held my hand in his and the flames danced around our conjoined hands. I tilted my head, confused by the lack of pain from the tendrils.

"You said we were waiting for Lucy, not the pyro!" Gray growled, ice forming in his palms.

"Don't start you two or Lucy and I will have to reprimand you." Her words were firm and she fixed a glare on both of them.

"Yes Ma'am." They both said at the same time, their stances relaxing. The fire dissipated into a puff of smoke. The two maintained their glare on each other while Erza led us to the train.

"Erza?" I was hesitant to speak, but she only smiled at me, waiting for me to continue. "What is this quest, exactly? Natsu said something about a dark guild." I pushed my fingers together again as we boarded the train. Gray dropped down on a seat with a huff while Erza sat next to him. Natsu sat across from Erza before grabbing my wrist and pulling me down between him and the window. Happy sat on Natsu's other side.

"We are being sent to rescue a young heiress from the East. Her father is the leader of the Lorien Kingdom and his daughter has been missing for a week. The police have failed in finding her, so he requested for wizards to assist. They lost her trail in Morrison, so we will speak with the townspeople before moving forward. Lauraline was last seen at a club there, so keep that in mind." Erza explained, her eyes focused on the bustling crowd within the train station.

"The poor girl." I whispered, glancing down at my conjoined hands.

"If the cops can't find her, what makes him think untrained wizards can?" Gray made a good point and we all sat in silence until Erza spoke.

"There are rumors that it was a dark guild. The regular police just aren't equipped to handle it. The Master wanted our strongest team to handle it. With the thunder legion on their own quests, I chose my own team." She stated flatly before standing. "I'm going to find something to eat. Gray, let's go." She snapped and Gray hopped to his feet. "The dark guild may already know that we accepted the job. Nobody should go anywhere alone unless they absolutely have to." She ordered and dragged Gray from the train car. Happy perked up at the mention of food, wings forming behind him.

"Food! Maybe they have fish! I'm going with them!" He cheered as the train lurched forward. Natsu audibly groaned, folding in on himself as the train ran. The mountainous scenery passed by and my eyes were drawn to the beautiful landscape. I only looked away when Natsu leaned against my side, murmuring something about nausea. I pressed my back against the cool, cloth seat and gently touched his shoulder. He didn't resist as I maneuvered his body to fall into my lap. I set his head on my thighs and ran my fingers through his pink spikes, smiling softly as his body relaxed.

"Do you always get motion sickness?" I spoke softly as he nodded, turning his face towards my stomach as his body curled up on the bench.

"All transportation. Worst enemy." He mumbled and I pressed my fingers into his scalp, continuing to run my fingers through. I frowned. That must make quests a challenge for the fire mage. I hoped what little I could do was helping. My mother used to do this for me when I didn't feel well and it always helped alleviate some of the discomfort. Soft purrs formed in Natsu's chest and my eyes widened.

"Are you part cat or something?" It was terribly cute, but also surprising.

"Raised by a dragon. Cut me some slack." He huffed, curling closer to me and nuzzling against my sweater.

"Wait." I paused, my brain processing his words. "You're Salamander? You're the fire dragon slayer?" What the hell?

"Took you long enough." He murmured. It made complete sense. Happy had said they came from the East when I first met them. And that explains why he was so pissed about the fake salamander. It also explains why he can eat fire and why he has fangs. I guess I expected Salamander to be more of a lone wolf, driven by wrath and pride for Fairy Tail. That's what all the stories said anyway. While Natsu was powerful, he didn't fit the description from the rumors.

"If you're this powerful dragon slayer, why'd you choose me to be on your team? Gray, Erza, Mira, Gajeel, Elfman, or Juvia would all make stronger allies." I mumbled, glancing away with my shoulders hunched. Natsu would probably leave on a more challenging quest on his own soon anyway.

"Whatcha talking about? You're one of the strongest people I know, Luce. There ain't anyone else I'd rather team up with!" He smiled widely, before shutting his eyes and groaning. The train had hit a bump and it was downhill for the dragon slayer.

"Natsu." I paused, my eyes wide as I thought over what he said. "We both know that isn't true." I glanced out the window again and fingers tangled with my free hand. Natsu pulled my hand to his face, pressing his nose into my palm. He breathed deeply. His body seemed to relax and his eyes slowly opened.

"Even if you aren't the most skilled wizard yet, your spirit is bright and strong. You train constantly and you are willing to take oddball quests. You are one of the most loyal and trustworthy friends I've ever had Luce and I've only known you for a short time! Don't sell yourself short." He squeezed my hand before letting it slip through his fingers. His eyes shut again and he curled up closer to me, his breathing slowing before I could respond. Erza, Gray, and Happy returned, talking quietly among themselves while I continued running my fingers through Natsu's hair. My eyes were trained on the landscape once again, mind lost in memories of the past few months.

The cool air brushed against my shoulders, the moonlight stretching down to light our path from the train station to a hotel. Erza decided to take pity on Natsu and give him a break from the motion sickness. After spending the entire day on the train, we decided to rest for the night on the outskirts of Lorakton City. Lauraline was spotted here the week before she went missing, so it wouldn't hurt to poke around a bit before leaving in the morning. After Erza nearly gave the poor man a heart attack at the front desk, we were each given a room key. Apparently the hotel was full and they only had a few single rooms left. Erza was very persuasive though, so we managed to score four rooms.

"Guys, I'm so hungry. I need food." Natsu groaned, his stomach audibly growling. In fairness to him, he was too sick to eat during the entire train ride. We paused in the lobby, all of us turning to face him, slowly trailing behind us.

"You're always hungry flame brain. Sure you don't have a tapeworm?" Gray grumbled, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his bare chest. He hadn't noticed that he lost his shirt again.

"Yeah, well at least I'm not some pervert who strips in public." Natsu snapped back and Gray clenched his fists, stepping forward.

"Gray, go put some clothes on and get to your room. Natsu did not eat all day. Go get food with Happy and be back in an hour. We all need to be well rested for tomorrow. Come on Lucy." Erza snapped, deciding the course of action for everyone. She turned, stomping down the hallway towards the elevator with Gray a few steps ahead of her. Warm fingers wrapped around my wrist and I turned to see Natsu's wide smile.

"It's not that late Lucy. Come with me?" He grinned and I noticed the lack of blue fur.

"Sure, but where's Happy?" He pulled me along, heading back into the moonlight and away from the hotel. We made our way down the street to a fairly crowded pub.

"The little guy was exhausted, so I gave him my room key!" Natsu shrugged, dropping into a booth. The service was fast and he was shoveling food in his mouth in no time. There were piles of plates and I pushed some aside so I could set my elbow down on the table. I wasn't very hungry, though I could go for a drink of the sorts. An idea popped into my head and I perked up.

"I'm going to run to the bar real quick to get a Shirley temple! I haven't had one in so long!" I beamed, remembering the fizzy drink. It was my favorite when I was a kid.

"What's a Shirley temple?" His head tilted quizzically as he spoke with his mouth full.

"It's cherries and sprite! It's really good. I'll get you one too!" I jumped up but his hand shot out and snatched my wrist.

"You have your keys, right?" His body was tense, eyes trained on the booth in the corner.

"Yeah, of course. Is everything okay?"

"Peachy. I just see someone I know. I'll be right back." He pushed himself up and disappeared into the crowd, leaving the mountains of food behind. I didn't dwell on his odd behavior for long and wandered up to the bar. I ordered the drinks and sat on a stool, playing with the ring on my finger.

"Hey beautiful." A voice cooed in my ear and a shiver encompassed me. My body leaned away from the direction of the voice and I fixed a glare on the creep beside me as my drinks were placed on the bar. The man had a bandana over his eyes and his hair was long and frizzy. He smirked, leaning closer to my personal space.

"If you don't get out of my space, I'll knock you off the stool." I hissed through clenched teeth and he only smiled wider.

"Feisty. I like a girl with a spine. Why don't you ditch your friend and come hang with me Sweetheart?" The man's voice was taunting.

"Yeah, no thanks. I'm going to head back and sit with my boyfriend." I snapped, dropping off the stool.

"The little pink haired freak is your boyfriend? I think you can do better." The man scoffed and I glared at him,

"He's at least three times the man you'll ever be. Just get lost." I turned to walk away and his hand grabbed my elbow. I held my breath, restraining myself from kicking him in the face.

"You will be mine Lucy Heartfilia. It might take time, but I'm a patient man." His body was against mine as he whispered in my ear. I turned to dump my drink on him, but he was gone, vanishing like an apparition. I hurried back to the table, not looking back. I gulped down half my drink, hoping it would overshadow the sour taste in my mouth. My heart was racing and I flinched as footsteps approached the table.

"Luce, are you okay?" A warm hand settled on my shoulder and I looked up to meet Natsu's concerned gaze. I nodded quickly, sipping the drink at a more reasonable pace.

"There was just some creep at the bar. It's not a big deal." His nose twitched as I spoke. Before I could react, his hand smacked the drink from my grasp, the cup sailing across the pub. "What the hell was that for?" I focused my stare on my now empty hand.

"It was laced with something. I can't tell what, but it didn't smell right." My vision was foggy and I blinked a few times. His voice faded away from me as he continued speaking. I didn't catch any of the words falling from his lips.

"It was the creep with the bandana." His eyes widened when the words slipped through my lips. I felt my magical energy leaving me, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. My eyes rolled shut and I fell forward, expecting to hit the sticky table. Natsu's forearms caught me and he pulled me to my feet. I swayed for a moment before he hooked my arms around his neck. I was pressed against his back, my legs wrapped weakly around his center. "I can't." I mumbled groggily, my legs slipping before the world spun. I could hardly open my eyes, but when I did, I realized that I was curled against his chest, his arm under my legs and the other behind my back. I stuck my face against his collarbone, tucking my nose under his chin as my stomach tightened. My consciousness slowly faded.

I groaned, rolling over and turning my face away from the pillow. Why did I feel like I got hit by a truck? My body ached and I was freezing, my entire body shivering. I tried to bury myself deeper in the blankets.

"Luce?" My eyes adjusted to the lack of light and landed on Natsu. He was sitting on the floor by the door, back against the wall with his concerned eyes trained on me.

"Natsu? What happened? Why can't I stop shivering?" I tried to sit up, but my arms gave out and I dropped back onto the bed.

"Easy. Someone drugged you at the pub, so I brought you to my room. Happy is in yours, watching out to see if anyone tries to break into it." He explained and my eyes widened as the memories came crashing back.

"Why would someone do that?" I couldn't shout, my throat scratchy, so I settled for slightly above my normal tone.

"I don't know. That's why I brought you here, so I could protect you." He responded honestly and I pulled the blankets higher up around me.

"Thank-you."

"You'd do the same for me or Gray or Erza. So don't thank me." He smiled, pushing himself up to get a better look at me. He brushed my mess of hair from my face and frowned. "You're freezing."

"I know. Can you-" my voice trailed off and I pulled the blankets tighter. He nodded and small flames enveloped his hands. They hovered above me, warming me gently. "You're going to waste your energy Natsu. Just come here." I slowly lifted the blankets, inching over to give him room. He thought over this, his eyes widening as the flames diminished.

"You sure?"

"I'm freezing." My teeth chattered as I waited for him to slide into bed. He was already wearing sweatpants and my brain hadn't processed that he was shirtless. I gulped as the mattress dipped. He studied me for a moment, pulling the blankets around him.

"Better?" It was, slightly. The warmth radiating from his body filled the space under the blanket, but it wasn't enough. I closed the space between us and he lifted his arm without hesitation. I curled my body against his warm, muscled frame. I tucked my head under his chin and sighed in content. His arms tightened around me and the warmth settled in my core.

"Thank-you Natsu, for everything." I whispered, cuddling closer to my own personal space heater.

"Always Luce." I drifted off to sleep, warm and secure.

My head was pounding in time with my heartbeat, my legs tangled in the blankets. My face was under a pillow and I pushed it out of the way so I could breathe easier. My ears picked up the harsh whispering in the room and I assumed that was what woke me. My eyes struggled to open, adjusting to the lack of light until they settled on Natsu. A small smile touched my lips and his gaze instantly met mine. Despite him being scolded by other people in the room, he smiled back. A wave of nausea hit me and I groaned softly. Natsu went to move over to my side, but Gray stopped him.

"Did you get Lucy drunk last night?" Gray was appalled by my current state and I didn't blame him, but I was pissed he wasn't letting Natsu explain.

"No, she was drugged last night. I stepped away for a second when I smelt Lauraline's perfume and Lucy went to get a soda from the bar. Someone must've put something in it." Natsu explained, eyes still focused on me.

"And you didn't tell us? Why weren't you paying attention? She could've been taken or hurt!" Erza growled, unaware to the fact that I had woken up.

"I know, I'm sorry that I failed." Regret coated his words and I struggled to shove the blankets off of me.

"Natsu saved me. As soon as he smelled my drink, he knocked it away. He took care of me and watched over me all night. If you're going to blame someone, blame me. I wasn't careful enough. It was probably some creep at the bar. It's not a big deal, I'm fine." I sounded sure of myself until I tried to stand up and groaned, swaying slightly. Natsu was beside me in a second, shoving by Gray so his warm grip could steady me. I leaned into his support, trying to smile at my comrades.

"Natsu, you and Gray search the town for clues. Gray can talk to people while Natsu sniffs around with Happy for any signs of Lauraline or the creep who drugged Lucy." Erza stated, deciding the plan for the day.

"I'm not a dog Erza! I'm going to stay with Lucy until she feels better." Natsu declared before falling silent when her glare landed on him.

"You have the strongest nose out of all of us Natsu. You were the one that smelled her perfume at the bar last night. I will stay here and protect Lucy until she is feeling well enough to protect herself. Go." A sword formed in her hand and she stationed herself in front of the door. Natsu wasn't budging though and Gray rolled his eyes.

"Come on Pyro." He grabbed Natsu's wrist and pulled. I squeezed Natsu's hand and smiled gently.

"Go. I'll be okay with Erza here." I assured him and he frowned slightly.

"Get some rest and feel better." He squeezed my hand back before shaking his wrist free and following Gray out. The door clicked shut behind them and Erza turned to face me, her brow raised.

"Tell me exactly what happened." With that, I told her the entire story, word-for-word. "The man had a bandana covering his eyes, but knew what Natsu looked like?" She pondered this before her eyes widened. "And he knew your name."

"Yeah, but I've never seen him before. I didn't even recognize his voice. I think he was working with someone. There's no way he could've slipped something in my soda because I was watching him the whole time." I grumbled as Erza thought over my words. A silence settled between us for a bit as we thought over everything.

"Lucy, get back." She whispered before tensing and turning towards the door. "Requip!" Erza jumped forward, her body glimmering until her black wing armor took shape on her form. She raised her blade as the door was thrown open. A large figure shot towards her, swords raised above its head. She met every strike, flipping over the man to stab him through the back. She swung, the body flying into the next man who entered the room. I backed myself into the corner, snatching my keys off the end table. Multiple men shoved through the doorway, circling Erza. She fought skillfully, the weapons of the men unable to touch her. My eyes fell on a glass of water, residing on the end table. Natsu must have set it out for me the night prior. One man began drawing magic circles above Erza and I snatched a key from my collection.

"Erza, jump! Open the Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!" I yelled, holding the key into the glass as light erupted from it. Aquarius formed from the water, eyes blazing. "Take those guys out, please!" I shouted and she scowled at me.

"Don't ever summon me from a cup of stale water again!" She growled, before unleashing a tidal wave in the room. A scream escaped my lips as my body flew into the wall, my bones aching in protest as I tried to stay afloat, clinging on to the ceiling fan. Aquarius scoffed at me before vanishing and I coughed up the water that I had inhaled. I managed to cling onto the windowsill as the water level lowered, having just enough strength to keep myself from being washed away. The water flowed from the room and into the hallway, washing the intruders down with it. They were sprawled out in different angles, none of them conscious. Erza dropped into view, handing me a key.

"You did good Lucy. Can you summon one more spirit to protect you in Gray's room while I finish them off?" She questioned, kneeling before me with the wings of her armor expanded.

"I'll be fine." I choked out, grabbing the key and urging my body to move down the hall. I was drenched and shivering, coughing as I unlocked Gray's room and fell through the doorway. I slammed the door shut behind me and grabbed another key. A gentle hand grabbed my wrist and I met Loke's gaze. He smiled kindly. Loke was one of my strongest spirits. After his celestial wizard passed on, he wandered the streets of my old town. He stumbled upon me as a child, sobbing after I had fallen from a tree. Loke had carried me back to my home, telling me stories of warriors and princesses. After ensuring my wounds were cleaned, he went to leave. Being a child, I begged him to stay and tell me another story. I loved stories, even then. He was hesitant, but gave into my request and ever since then, he has always protected me. He gifted me his key on my sixteenth birthday and we formed an official contract. It was around that time that I ran away from home and he was the spirit who watched over me. The memories faded and I blinked up at the celestial spirit, tears welling in my eyes.

"Don't use anymore energy. I'll watch over you." He promised, fingers brushing my cheek before he turned to face the door.

"Loke. Thank-you." He smiled over his shoulder as I curled into the corner, my eyes fluttering shut as my head leaned against the wall. I had no idea how much time passed, the lights in the room dimming as the sun set. There was commotion in the hallway and my eyes cracked open to see Loke bracing himself.

"Lucy! Where are you? Lucy!" I knew that voice. I pushed myself off the wall, so I could sit up.

"Loke, I'll be okay. It's just Natsu." I assured him and he met my gaze. "I'll call for you if I need anything. Thank-you Loke." He nodded, giving me a small smile before fading back into the spirit world. The door to Gray's room was flung open and Natsu launched himself through it. His nose twitched in the air before his eyes fell on me. "Hi Natsu." I tried my best to smile and Natsu dropped to the floor in front of me.

"Lucy! What happened? My room looks like it was flooded and blown to bits! Where's Erza?" He was frantic, brushing my wet bangs from my face.

"Some guys broke down the door. Erza was handling them, but one started drawing magic circles. We were surrounded, so I summoned Aquarius. She washed me away with the guys, but Erza avoided the water. She made sure I was okay before giving me Gray's key and running off to finish them. Loke used his own magic to be in our world until I heard you in the hallway." Rough coughs shook my body as soon as the last word left my lips. Natsu knew of Loke, having met him a few times in battle.

"No more magic for a bit, okay?" His eyes held worry as he dropped to sit down across from me.

"I'm fine Natsu. Shouldn't you be looking for Erza?"

"Gray and Happy are looking for her." He assured me, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. He formed small flames in his hands, evaporating the water that was settling into my core. I looked him over as he did so and gasped. Tendrils of red twisted down his side, a deep wound slashed across his lower left abdomen. I grabbed Virgo's key swiftly before Natsu could stop me.

"Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" I whispered, raising her key as I felt what little magical energy I managed to regain drain from me. Natsu seemed bewildered as Virgo manifested between us.

"Yes princess? Is it time for a punishment?" The spirit held her hands together, the chains swaying slightly.

"No. Can you go get bandages and antibiotic ointment? Please hurry." She vanished without question. I pushed myself to my feet, staggering over to yank a blanket off the bed. I dropped to my knees, pressing it to the wound. Natsu's eyes widened and his hands grasped my wrists.

"Luce, I'm okay. It's just a scratch." He tried to push my hands away, but I refused to budge.

"You're bleeding all over the place. The wound is deeper than a scratch. What happened?"

"I got distracted and some guy got the jump on me. Don't worry about it." He grumbled and I didn't push for further clarification. Virgo appeared at my side, dropping an abundance of medical supplies onto the floor.

"Thank-you Virgo." She bowed before returning to the spirit world. I kept pressure on the wound, wiping the dried blood from around it. I dabbed hydrogen peroxide into the wound and Natsu hissed, trying to smack my hands away. I shushed him, packing gauze in before tightly wrapping an ace bandage around his center. It was a makeshift bandage, but it would have to work for now. A sigh escaped my lips, eyes falling on my shaking hands. They were stained red with Natsu's blood. Warmth circled my wrists and I glanced up to meet his gaze.

"Thanks Luce." He gave me a small smile, helping me to my feet. He washed my hands for me in the bathroom sink, drying them off with heat from his own hands. They were not shaking anymore, but I was struggling to keep my eyes open. "Come on." He turned, exposing his back to me. I didn't have the strength to protest, so I threw my arms around his neck. He pulled me onto his back and I wrapped my legs loosely around him, below his wound. "Go to sleep. I'll protect yah." He spoke softly and my body accepted his words, my limbs growing heavy. I drifted off, settling into his warmth.


	5. Tempting Warmth and a Friend's Warning

**November 11th**

"How are yah feeling?" Natsu grinned down from the rafters, his legs dangling. My eyes adjusted to the light before studying the room we were in. It looked like the lobby of some cabin-esque inn. There were rafters stretching across the vaulted ceilings, a fireplace lit across from the collection of couches. I was laying on a soft maroon couch, facing the stone fireplace. I glanced back at Natsu, wondering how he managed to get up there.

"A lot better." I took a deep breath, pushing myself to sit up. I felt well-rested.

"You had us worried." A voice said from next to me. Gray was sprawled out on a nearby couch, his arms behind his head. "Pyro refused to let anyone else take care of you. He carried you the entire way here." The tips of my ears heated as I looked back up at Natsu. He was looking elsewhere, a light pink hue on his cheeks. The color even peeked out from under the scarf around his neck.

"Lucy!" Round eyes looked up at me from the floor and I moved over so Happy could sit next to me. He snuggled into my lap, purring softly. "We were all so worried. Natsu said you lost a lot of magic energy."

"I feel a lot better now. Don't worry Happy." I ran my hands through his fur with a smile.

"Lucy. I'm glad you are feeling better. We need to keep moving. There are rumors that the heiress was here last night. Natsu and I will scout the north, active side of town. Lucy and Gray, scout the south side. The south side is abandoned, so stay on your guard. We will meet back at this inn at sunset. Happy, go with Lucy and Gray. If they need to send us a message, you'll be able to fly over to us. Try to preserve your magic." Erza stepped into the center of the room. Natsu didn't argue, dropping down off the rafter and landing behind Erza. Gray pushed himself up, mumbling something about meeting me out front. Erza followed, placing a hand on my shoulder before walking out of the inn. Natsu was suddenly in front of me, eyes searching mine.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He leaned closer, studying me. I nodded swiftly.

"Mhm! How's your side?" I leaned over, pushing his waistcoat and scarf out of the way. A new bandage was secured tightly around his waist and he pulled my hands away.

"I had to replace the bandages a few times on our way over here, but it's a lot better. I can't even feel it." He assured me, giving me a wide grin. "Here, this is for you." He swiftly pressed a whip into my hand, stepping by me with that smile still on his face. The whip was deep brown with a heart-shaped end.

"Huh?" I was dumbfounded and he turned to look over his shoulder.

"I told you, I got distracted." He shrugged and disappeared out the door. Did he see this during his fight earlier? Why'd he get it for me? I moved my fingers over the material, feeling the weight of the whip in my hands. Gray poked his head through the doorway, narrowing his gaze at me.

"I'm coming!" I clipped it to my belt on the opposite side of my keys and hurried out the door. He had asked Happy to observe from the sky, but to not stray too far from us. Happy agreed with an "aye sir!" and flew off, leaving the two of us alone to wander the streets. We passed by many dark homes, the streets barren of people. It was odd, but Gray didn't seem too concerned.

"Listen, Lucy. Don't take this the wrong way, okay?" Gray peeked through the doorway of an empty house. It seemed abandoned, not a sound to be heard throughout the home. I paused from my exploration, meeting his gaze and nodding hesitantly. "It's about Natsu." He scratched the back of his head, glancing away. I waited for him to continue, unsure of where the conversation was going. "You just need to be careful." He blurted and my brow furrowed.

"What are you talking about?"

"He isn't a bad person. He's just reckless and he falls victim to his rage consistently. If you get too close to him, you might get hurt. There's something there that's dark within him. I just wanted you to be aware of that." Gray mumbled and I scowled at him.

"Natsu isn't dangerous unless you are the enemy. He would never hurt me. And what do you mean 'too close'? The guy is my best friend, not that it's any of your business." I snapped, picturing Natsu's goofy, innocent smile. He was resilient and brave, childish and caring. He held so much pride for Fairy Tail and saw every member of the guild as family. Why would Gray say he is dangerous? "Sure, he acts before he thinks sometimes which might make him a little reckless, but anyone can get like that! It doesn't make him a bad person." I added, my scowl shifting into a frown.

"Look, I didn't mean to upset you. Natsu is just different than he appears. You've only known him a few months, alright? He's a good guy and one of the strongest wizards I know, but I grew up with him. I've seen some of his darker moments and they aren't pretty. If you get too close, you may end up burned and I know that Erza and I don't want to see that happen to you." He explained further and I clenched my fists. Sure it's only been two months, but it was two months of him and Happy camping out in my apartment and adventuring together on quests.

"I don't care about his past Gray. It shaped him into who he is today. I trust him and until he does something to completely destroy that trust, I'm going to rely on him." I shoved by him, hitting my shoulder against his. "Finish checking this house, I'm going to the next one" I narrowed my eyes at him, waiting for a challenge. He simply nodded, disappearing into another room.

Angered by Gray's words and disheartened by the setting sun, I continued on down the street. My body maneuvered over fallen trees and lost trinkets littering the road. Something odd caught my eye and I slowed my pace. Before me stood a rather large house, the windows cracked and shattered, the wooden porch rotted, the gutter hanging off. I moved cautiously while maneuvering up the rickety porch. The door creaked in protest as I pushed it wide enough for me to squeeze through.

"Hello? I apologize for entering without permission, but I really need help finding someone. Is anyone home?" I called out, expecting no reply from the abandoned home. Silence was my only answer so I continued in, stepping over broken floorboards and shards of glass. A collapsed piano resided next to the fireplace, the only identifiable item in the dusty home. A floorboard creaked from the basement and I tiptoed down the steps in response. As the bottom of my boot reached the cement floor, my body was slammed against the wall. A long blade pressed against my throat as I stared, wide-eyed at my attacker. A tattered indigo bandana rested across unknown eyes in my line of vision. The bandana belonged to a man with blueish-black hair and a jagged scar stretching across his face down to his square jawline. It was the man from the bar. I gulped, stretching my toes to reach the floor. The blade pressed against my throat was an onyx kukri blade. I had never seen a weapon such as that before. This man was even stranger than I thought and my fingers struggled to grasp my keys.

"Let me go." His free hand covered my mouth as a low growl sounded from the dark side of the basement. In mere seconds, the man hauled me over his shoulder and jumped away towards the staircase. As he darted up the steps, my eyes fell on the scorched wall and embers flickering where we once stood. He dropped me next to the door as a rather large, black-scaled lizard clawed into his shoulders, tackling him to the floor.

"Lucy!" Another voice spoke as ice looped around the creature's stomach, yanking it off of the other man. My eyes fell on Gray who was panting with a sword of ice in his hands. The bandana man grunted as he pushed himself up and freed another kukri blade from his back. He darted past Gray, catching the creature's claws in his blades before kicking it in the chest. It stumbled back as he rammed forward, his blade slamming through its chest. Golden liquid oozed from the wound as its eyes darkened. He yanked his blade back, flicking off the liquid before returning both to the sheaths on his back. Both men tensed as claws scratched across the basement steps. Three lizards emerged from the basement, one sprinting towards each of us. I fell backwards as the man with the bandana pushed me out of the way, his blades in the stomach of both beasts. Gray let go of his ice sword, the blade melting in the stomach of the third lizard. "What the hell were those things?" Gray shouted. The man with the bandana returned his blades to his back once more and turned to face me. I backed into the corner, dread swirling in my stomach. He may have saved me, but he was still a creep.

"Lucy, please come with me. It will be so much easier this way." He extended his hand, palm up. Gray stepped between us, hands forming ice between his palms. The man clucked his tongue, retrieving the blades once again. "Very well, ice mage." He launched himself forward, blades raised.

"Ice make swords!" Two sparkling blades formed in Grays hands just in time to meet the other man's strike. He stumbled back, grunting. I snatched the whip Natsu had given me, biting my lip before jumping forward. Gray couldn't fight my battles for me. I snapped the whip, latching it around the man's left wrist and Gray saw the opportunity to strike.

"Blades of agony." The man huffed in a monotone voice. Black tendrils sliced through Gray's shoulder and he cried out, stumbling back. The man yanked his arm free, turning to charge at me.

"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" Natsu's entire body was lit aflame as he shot through the doorway, his head colliding with the center of the bandana man. The man flew into the wall, the boards splintering around his body. Natsu positioned himself in front of me, fists clenched as fire danced around him. His eyes were blazing and golden, his typical onyx gaze missing. Power and heat radiated off of him in waves. Perhaps this is what Gray was talking about? Erza burst through the door next, golden blood dripping from her swords. The man cursed under his breath, vanishing into the air. Erza requipped into her normal clothes, Happy dropping down next to her, clearly struggling to breathe. He must've flown to get Natsu and Erza when the creatures appeared. The fire simmered as Natsu turned to glare at Gray. "What the hell was that!?" He snarled, his voice soaked with fury. His fangs seemed abnormally large as he fixed a glare on the ice mage. Gray was holding his gushing shoulder, the wounds deep from the man's attack.

"Lucy went off on her own Flame Brain! I did what I could." He growled, stepping forward to stand his ground. Erza grabbed Natsu by the scruff of his neck and threw him at the doorway.

"Go calm down Natsu." She ordered and Natsu sulked outside, not even glancing in my direction.

"Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" I whispered and the tiny maid appeared by my side. "Please get more bandages and antibiotic ointment. Maybe an ice pack too. Please hurry." I stated swiftly, before she could speak. She bowed her head, vanishing and reappearing in a blink. She dropped the supplies at my feet and I thanked her, sending her away. Gray was resting on the ground and I dropped down beside him, shoving his hands away from the wound. I pressed a cloth into it, trying to slow the bleeding. He winced slightly, eyes wide. Erza was scouting out the place while Happy went after Natsu. "Stay still." I grumbled, pouring hydrogen peroxide over the wounds. He tried squirming away and he was almost worse than Natsu.

"It burns." He cried and I glared at him.

"It's suppose to. That means it's working. Unless, you would rather Erza amputate your arm after it gets infected." I snapped and that shut him up. I bandaged his shoulder and pushed myself off the ground. He grabbed my wrist before I could walk away.

"Thanks Lucy." He spoke honestly and I nodded.

"You were trying to save me. So thank-you." With that, I walked out of the house to find Natsu sitting cross-legged under a weeping willow. His eyes had returned to their normal onyx tone and were trained on the murky pond across the street. The blue ball of fur was nowhere to be seen. His nose twitched slightly, face now raised to the arching branches above him.

"Hi Luce." He spoke softly and I smiled. I dropped down beside him, pulling my knees to my chest. Our bodies were close, elbows brushing.

"Hey Natsu. Are you okay?" I blinked up at him and he met my gaze.

"Happy came and got us. He said you were in trouble and I freaked instead of trusting that you and Gray could handle it. I'm sorry I let that guy get away again. He was the one from the brewery, wasn't he?"

"You have nothing to apologize for. You saved us… you saved me, again." I added and he grinned.

"I'll always be there for you Lucy." He assured me and I returned his smile before leaning my head onto his shoulder. I always felt at ease with Natsu around. I never doubted him.

"I think we should stay together the rest of the quest, all five of us. It seems like the bandana guy was intimidated by you and Erza." I played with my fingers, poking the tips together while he thought over my words.

"It makes sense to me, especially with the Doriks making an appearance. They're basically dragon-dog hybrids, but I've never seen them out so far from the chasms. Someone must have intentionally brought them here and a few got away, so they have our scent. Strength in numbers, right?" His head leaned on my own gently and I nodded, processing his words. A melody of beeps interrupted the peaceful silence and Natsu searched his pocket, pulling out his phone. "You forgot your phone, so Levy has been texting me your assignments all day. Do you really enjoy reading this crap? I vant to suck your blood!" He tossed me his phone before making fangs with his pointer fingers and speaking with an accent. Laughter escaped my lips as I nearly fell over from the scene before me.

"We can't all be engineers." I managed to say between rounds of laughter. I scrolled through the messages. Levy, being a goddess, sent me images from the novel, Dracula. She must've had Gajeel hold the book because his familiar scowl was in the last picture. Gajeel had joined Fairy Tail a week after me, much to Natsu's dismay. The two dragon slayers didn't really see eye to eye, but Levy had taken a liking to him. He had nearly run her over with his motorcycle the day they met, but the two really hit it off after she lectured him for an hour about safety. "Do you mind if I borrow this tonight? I really need to catch up on the material so I don't flunk out." I pleaded, scrolling back through the pages. I could probably read this in an hour or two.

"Sure, it's all yours. I only have it because of Gramps. I went on a solo mission last year. I thought I could take down a dark guild by myself, but it didn't really go as planned. They roughed me up pretty bad, but luck was on my side. Erza had gone after me. She took down the rest of the guild and carried me back to Fairy Tail. She saved my life that day and ever since then, Gramps makes me carry around a phone so I can call for help." He explained, eyes focused on the pond once again. I flicked his ear and he flinched away from me, eyes wide. "The hell was that for Lucy?"

"Don't be so reckless. We can't lose you Natsu. Your life is worth more than winning a battle." I turned away from him after I spoke, glancing back at his phone. I squeaked as Natsu pulled me forward onto his lap. He had stretched his legs in front of him and wrapped his arms securely around me. His nose brushed into my hair as he held on tightly. "Natsu?" My mind was blank, face tucked under his chin.

"It goes both ways Luce. We can't lose you either." His voice was soft and honest, heavy with an emotion I couldn't identify.

"I'm not going anywhere." I promised him and his arms tightened briefly. We sat in silence for a bit before I tried to get up. His arms tightened again, restricting my movement. His eyes had shut, his facial expression peaceful.

"I'm just going to rest my eyes, if you want to read out here. Gray and Erza are going to be talking strategy, so it's probably quieter here." He stated and I nodded, settling in his embrace and scrolling to the first page of the novel. Natsu snored quietly behind me while I read. I became fully engrossed in the novel, to the point that Erza's voice startled me from the trance. I jumped, the phone slipping through my fingers as Natsu's grip tightened so I didn't fall to the ground as well. Erza was scowling down at us and I shied back into Natsu's embrace, my back tightly pressed against his chest.

"It is reckless to sit out in the open, exposed like that! You didn't even hear me approach! After everything that happened, why would you be so naive?" She growled and Gray stumbled from the house behind her. Happy dropped from the sky, a fish in his mouth. I glanced up to see Natsu opening his left eye.

"Erza, I heard you the second you opened the door. I knew Lucy would focus entirely on the novel, so I stayed alert. I also know that there are three Doriks that escaped and that bandana guy is part of a dark guild. If we follow the trail the Doriks left, it might lead us to the guild and to the heiress." He spoke swiftly, a yawn escaping his lips before he shut his eye again. My own eyes widened, as did Erza's. She nodded, a proud smirk touching her lips.

"Very well. Shall we eat before we head out?" Erza turned to meet my gaze and then Gray's.

"We might as well go to the diner on the north side of town before we leave. Flame brain might wither away to nothing if we don't eat." Gray quipped, before turning to walk towards the inhabited side of town. Erza nodded, following him without another word. Natsu's nose twitched in annoyance before releasing me. He pulled both of us to our feet and grinned, fangs sparkling in the moonlight.

"Come on, I'm starving." I followed after him, Happy falling back to walk beside me. At the diner, Natsu managed to eat four different meals and Happy ate two plates of fish. The atmosphere was more relaxed between the five of us, Erza scolding Natsu for being a slob and Gray poking fun at me for eating a bland salad. Everything was as it should be.


	6. Mirror Image

**November 12th**

My body collided with the ground, my eyes snapping open as my senses came crashing back. I was sprawled out, face down in the dirt. My pace had slowed during the night as exhaustion caught up with me, but I didn't want to slow the group down. I ended up summoning Horologium to carry me while I rested. I was wide awake now, coughing up dirt that entered my lungs when I tumbled. I shoved myself up, eyes settling on the rising sun. There was nothing around me besides eerily quiet forests.

"Natsu?" I called between coughs, choking down air as I steadied myself on my feet. "Erza? Gray? Happy?" I continued to raise my voice, confused by their absence. I pushed myself forward, walking for a while until movement caught my eye.

"Lucy?" The bushes shook as I stumbled towards the voice.

"Happy!" I dropped down in front of the bush, trying to untangle the poor cat from the tendrils of thorns. Once he was freed, I looked him over before hugging him to my chest. He had tiny scratches all over his body and he looked exhausted, but not badly injured. I could work with that. "Do you know where everyone is? What happened?"

"There was a landslide and we all tumbled down the mountain. I've been stuck here for hours. I'm so hungry. Can we find fish?" He explained, stretching his limbs when I finally released him.

"We have to look for the others first, come on." I climbed through the underbrush. If Happy and I both landed here, the others couldn't be too far. We searched from sunrise to midday, with no luck of even finding a trace of anyone. I finally appeased Happy and helped him fish in a river shaded by overgrown trees and vines. Once he was satisfied, we pushed on, stumbling into a meadow. Familiar pink spikes caught my attention and I ran through the flowers, Happy on my heels. "Natsu!" I shouted, nearly knocking him over. He gripped my wrists tightly to steady me, avoiding my embrace.

"Hey Lucy. Looks like you found Happy! Where's Erza and Gray?" His toothy grin didn't meet his eyes and I frowned, freeing my wrists from his grasp.

"I don't know. Happy said there was a landslide on the mountain. We've been looking for you guys all day." I explained, put off by his distance. He seemed unscathed, his clothes spotless. "Did you even fall?" I narrowed my eyes at him and he shook his head.

"No, it just missed me. Come on. We need to find the others." He left the meadow behind as he maneuvered through the shadows of the forest.

"Lucy." Happy grabbed my ankle, keeping me from following Natsu. "I saw Natsu tumble down the mountain. He was cursing the whole way down, yelling about fighting the mountain. Something is fishy." Well that definitely sounded more like Natsu. My brow furrowed as I rested my hand on my keys.

"Come on. It'll be okay." I assured the blue cat and we followed Natsu together. He continued to mumble under his breath about finding Erza. Erza was the priority and my brow furrowed. Gray was the one that was injured before the fall. He might be worse off and all Natsu could focus on was Erza. "Natsu? Maybe we'd have better luck if we split up. We could cover more ground and-" My suggestion was swiftly cut off.

"No! We have to stick together!" He snarled, his eyes flicking to gold as he bared his enlarged fangs. I shrunk back, mouth agape as Happy tugged on my hand. It's just like what happened when he attacked bandana guy. "Now this is an interesting development." He mumbled as talons grew from his fingertips and patches of red manifested on his skin. My heart stopped, eyes widening in response.

"Lucy. We need to go." Happy continued tugging on my hand as I distanced myself until my back hit the trunk of a pine tree. He growled, smirking as he stepped forward. My eyes fell on his exposed neck, noting the jagged scar running along his throat that intertwined with the raised scales.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Flames exploded from his lips, directed towards Happy and I. I held my arms up, shutting my eyes as the heat strengthened.

"Lucy! Find Gray!" My eyes shot open to find Erza standing between Natsu and I. She was wearing her flame empress armor, her arms raised to take the brunt of the attack. "Go!" Before I could respond, Happy snagged the back of my shirt, wings manifesting on his back. We were above the trees before Natsu even had time to react.

"Happy! We have to go back and help Erza! Something is wrong with Natsu!" I struggled to slip from his grasp, but Happy held on tightly.

"Lucy, there's a reason he is called Salamander! Just drop it. We have to find Gray so he can call Master Makarov." He arched through the tree line, ignoring my protests. Call Master?

"Does this happen often Happy?"

"Only when Natsu gets really angry. He's usually good at controlling it, especially around you. He said you make it easier, so I don't know what happened." He explained and I frowned. Something was off about Natsu the moment we found him. He said he didn't fall, but his scarf was missing and Happy saw him tumble down. His scarf.

"His scarf is from the dragon that raised him, right?"

"Igneel gave it to him. He doesn't take it off." Happy confirmed. So if Natsu lost his scarf, he would be hell bent on finding it.

"Happy, that wasn't Natsu. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't him. We have to get back to Erza." I tried to swallow my excitement as I swung my legs. The moment Happy turned us around, my eyes fell on something odd hanging from a tree. "Happy, go down. There's something weird in that tree." It could be Gray.

"Lucy…" Happy hesitated, but I begged relentlessly until he gave in.

"Open The Gate of the Archer! Sagittarius!" I freed his key from my side and the spirit formed beside me as soon as my feet touched the ground.

"Yes m'lady?" He saluted me, awaiting my command.

"I need you to shoot down whatever is in the tree!" He nodded in response, eyes trained on the swinging bag. He took a deep breath, aligning his bow before releasing the arrow. I sprinted forward, arms extended as my body collided with the bag. I looked up to see Happy flying above, holding the other side of the bag. I smiled at the cat while we lowered it, a groan escaping it. My eyes widened as I swiftly untied it. A body tumbled out of the bag, landing face down in the dirt. "Natsu!" I shouted, rolling him over and lifting his torso so I could wrap my arms around him.

"Lucy? I don't feel so good." He puffed his cheeks out as his arms wrapped weakly around me. His nose was tucked under my chin as I tightened my grasp on him. "I woke up...the world wouldn't stop moving...I couldn't…" He grumbled, shutting his eyes tightly. I slowly rubbed his back, hoping it would soothe him. We sat like that for a few minutes, Natsu gathering himself while I internally cheered. I knew that it was an imposter earlier!

"M'lady. Someone is approaching." Sagittarius raised his bow again, positioning himself between us and the overgrown plants stretching along the forest floor. He stood defensively, arrow ready. The bushes shook and he lifted a finger from the arrow, ready to send it flying. A head of navy hair poked out from the bush and I tensed.

"Don't!" I shouted in time for Gray to free himself from the tangle of vines. Sagittarius apologized, bowing in Gray's direction.

"Lucy? Happy? Natsu?" He blinked at us a few times, his eyes focusing. "Where's Erza?" Erza! I'm so foolish.

"Natsu, we have to go. Erza needs our help." I struggled to pull him to his feet. With Gray's help, we managed to get the dragonslayer to stand.

"Is she fighting someone?" He mumbled, dragging his feet in the dirt as we pushed forward.

"She's fighting you, Natsu." Happy was walking in front of us. He glanced over his shoulder, meeting Natsu's gaze. Natsu nodded, eyes darkening. Happy's wings formed behind him.

"Run." Natsu whispered before Happy hauled him into the sky.

"Pyro! What are you doing?" Gray shouted, bewildered by the action. I tugged on Gray's hand, urging him to sprint through the forest. We stumbled over rocks and tangles of underbrush until we reached the familiar clearing. We arrived just in time to find Erza slamming her blade through Natsu's center. Gray's jaw dropped and I searched the sky for Happy and the real Natsu. They landed in time to see Erza drop to her knees and to see the scales retreat back into the other Natsu's skin. The body shifted, the mirage lifting to reveal a scrawny man with shaggy green hair. The man struggled to take his last breath as his eyes locked on me.

"You're lucky." He hissed before his eyes rolled back and his breathing ceased. Erza dropped forward, her body hitting the ground as blood pooled around her. She had burns on her arms and cuts all over her body. She turned her head to look at Natsu.

"I knew it wasn't you, Natsu." She whispered before shutting her eyes. Natsu was speechless, eyes widening as he fell to his knees.

"Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" I whispered, clutching onto her key as tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Yes Princess?" The pink haired maid stood tall beside me.

"Please Virgo, carry Erza back to Fairy Tail. She needs help." I spoke softly and Virgo nodded, gently lifting Erza to cradle her. Erza's armor faded back into her normal skirt and breastplate, her breathing ragged. "Happy. Can you take Gray back to Fairy Tail so he can explain what happened?" I was watching Natsu as I spoke and he turned to meet my gaze.

"No. Happy, take Lucy back. Gray needs to stay here." Gray nodded, agreeing with Natsu as he studied the green-haired man impaled on the tree.

"Aye sir." Happy didn't hesitate, snatching me and flying off in the direction Virgo ran. "Don't take it personally Lucy. He's just upset that you saw him like that." Happy assured me as I sobbed. Erza was badly wounded, Gray was injured, and Natsu looked so broken. Our team had fallen apart and we couldn't even find Lauraline. What the heck are we going to do?


	7. Dragon's Den

**December 10th**

I flipped through the pages, skimming a novel as I sat in the familiar oak chair. I had claimed this spot, keeping Erza company while she healed. She wasn't a very good patient, wanting to jump out of bed the moment she woke up days after Virgo brought her back to the guild. Master wasn't having any of that and gave me the task of keeping Erza company while Juvia and Gajeel took turns being stationed outside. When we first got back, Juvia had cornered me, asking about Gray over and over until I promised her that he was fine. I told her he would be back in a few days, but him and Natsu haven't returned yet. Nearly a month had passed since then, Thanksgiving coming and going. Mira had cooked up a feast with Levy, inviting the entire guild to spend the holiday in the guild hall. That night, Levy had joined Erza and I in the infirmary, telling us stories of how Gajeel almost burned down her apartment when he tried to bake a pie for the feast. After that, the first snow storm came and went, along with finals and the start of winter break at the university. Only the guilds remained on campus and most members were away on jobs. I looked up from my book to see Erza flipping through her criminology textbook. She had gotten her syllabi early to get ahead for her final semester in school. The door creaked open as Gajeel poked his head inside.

"Hey bunny girl. You have a visitor outside. I'll sit with Erza for a while." He held the door ajar for me and I set my novel down on the end table. I squeezed Erza's hand before slipping out the door. I wandered down the stairs, ducking under the candy cane garland Mira had hung for the holidays. I maneuvered around the oversized Christmas tree and the growing pile of gifts wrapped in sparkling silver and gold. I pulled my coat off the coat rack, tying the belt and sliding my gloves on before pushing the guild hall door open. I slipped outside, watching as my breath formed tiny clouds in front of my lips. My eyes scanned my surroundings before settling on spikes of pink hair.

"Natsu!" I shouted before taking off in his direction. I sprinted towards him, colliding with his chest. I threw my arms around him. He wrapped me in an embrace, steadying me so I didn't send both of us into the snow. His nose brushed against my hair as his grip tightened.

"Luce." He spoke softly as the warmth radiating from him settled in my bones. I clung to him, tears welling in my eyes before cascading down my cheeks. My body shaking as sobs escaped my lips. "It's okay. Erza is healing, you're healthy, and Gray is with Juvia. We are all fine." He assured me, rocking me back and forth to soothe me. He had to know why I was so upset.

"Why didn't you call us? Why didn't you let me know you were okay? You just sent me off with Happy without saying goodbye and you looked so broken! Natsu-" I had managed to squeeze my arms between us, hitting his chest weakly with my fists. His fingers circled my wrists gently, his lips pressing against my forehead before he pulled back to meet my blurry eyes.

"Our phones broke when we fell during the landslide. When we brought that guy to the police, they told us that we couldn't contact anyone until we got back to the guild. That man...he was part of Lunar Eclipse, the dark guild believed to have kidnapped Lauraline. His name was Bruce Reckiv and he specialized in mirroring magic. He must have found me after the fall and mirrored my appearance and magic before tying me in the tree and leaving to find you guys. They believe his goal was to take down Erza to weaken our group before finishing the rest of you off. I have to speak with Erza, but I need to talk to you about something first." His voice was soft and hesitant. I had never seen Natsu so unsure of himself before. "I need to show you something. If you never want to see me again after, I understand. You just-" his words ended abruptly before he took a deep breath. "You need to know the truth, Luce." He hung his head, no longer meeting my gaze.

"Lead the way." I entwined our fingers, pressing my palm against his. A small smile touched his lips before he tugged on my arm gently, leading me towards a winding trail carved out in the forest. We walked in silence, following the trail before deviating at the guildhall dorms. We climbed up a few steps shaped out of stone before following a new trail, clearly less traveled than the original. A small log cabin resided in the middle of a clearing, weeping willows arching over the home, shielding it from moonlight. It was small and had patches all over the walls composed of different woods.

"This is my home that I share with Happy. It's not much, but it's ours." He explained before leading me to the door. I glanced around at the calm forest surrounding the home.

"You don't have any neighbors." I blurted and a pink hue brushed his cheeks and the tips of his ears as he glanced away. "Natsu." I narrowed my gaze at him as he gave me a cheeky smile.

"I'll get to that. Come on." We stepped through the doorway and a gentle flame lit around his wrist. He lifted his hand, the flame arching to light the dusty fireplace in the corner of the home. There were two things that caught my immediate attention: the mountain of pillows surrounding the fireplace and the collection of metal objects thrown about the living area and kitchen.

"Natsu. Did you bring me here to tell me you have a hoarding problem?" My eyes scanned his collection, noting the combination of jewelry, metal, silverware, and stones.

"No, I mean that's part of it, but no." He dropped down into the mess of pillows before tugging on my hand. I lowered myself across from him, sinking into the cozy mountain. "So, you already know I'm a dragon slayer." He started and I nodded, deciding to keep quiet until he was finished. "When I lost Igneel, I was cursed. Until I slay the dragon that raised me, I am cursed to live half human and half dragon. It really only comes out when I'm angry and I've gotten really good at controlling it. When we were younger, I used to turn anytime Gray spoke to me or anytime I fought anyone. Master was the only one who knew how to calm me down. I still get these urges though. I hoard shiny objects and pillows just to keep the dragon subdued most days. It's also why I'm so reckless. It keeps the dragon half satisfied. Recently though, I can only keep that half completely quiet when I'm with you. There's something about your presence and your scent that calms me. I don't know how or why, but it just does." He paused, stealing a glance at me to ensure I hadn't run for the hills yet. I gave him a gentle smile, urging him to continue. "I'm scared, though. When the dragon comes out fully, I lose any reminisce of rational thinking. Who I am goes out the window and I become a predator. I understand if you are afraid of me, if you don't want to be my friend or part of our team. Erza and Gray, even they get scared. Some days, they walk on eggshells around me. Gray enjoys pushing my buttons, but he knows when to bite his tongue. They've known me since childhood and they're still afraid. I won't blame you, if you are also afraid." I leaned forward, holding both of his hands between mine. I smiled softly, waiting until he met my gaze.

"Natsu, I could never be afraid of you. You're my best friend, the person I can always rely on to have my back and the person I can give my trust to. I know you would never hurt me." His eyes widened.

"But- what if I lose control?" He countered and I maintained my smile.

"Then I'll stay by your side until you can get your act together." It was a promise to him, a guarantee that he wouldn't lose me. A beautiful smile blossomed on his face. "Though, now I know who has been stealing my throw pillows and Mira's silverware." The pale blue pillows caught my eye and I couldn't help the giggle escaping my lips. Natsu blushed again, trying to form words as he glanced away. "It's okay, Natsu. It's kind of cute that you collect pillows." That drew his gaze back to my eyes and I leaned forward ever so slightly. He leaned in as well, our noses brushing together gently, our breath mingling.

"Luce." He whispered, eyes trained on mine. He was hesitant, unsure of the situation.

"It's okay Natsu." My eyes fluttered shut, fingers tangling in his hair right before the front door flew open. Natsu startled, falling backwards off the mountain of pillows before hitting the hardwood floor. His body was sprawled out on the ground, eyes narrowed at whoever interrupted us.

"Why did you leave without me?" Happy pouted, crossing his arms over his chest before dropping to the ground.

"Sorry Happy." I answered for Natsu and realization dawned on Happy. He shot up to land in my arms, wide eyes staring up at me.

"You're okay with Natsu being a scaled monster that might rip someone's face off?" He asked and Natsu pushed himself off the ground.

"Happy!" Natsu growled, clearly offended by his friend's words.

"It's just the truth Natsu!" Happy snapped back, flying around Natsu's head as the fire mage tried to grab him out of the sky. He chased the cat around the home as I laughed. Natsu snatched the cat from the sky, glaring at his friend. "Wait, wait! Don't eat me! I have important news for you both!" He squirmed until Natsu released him. Happy flew back to me, landing in my lap once again.

"I wasn't going to eat yah Happy. You'd probably taste terrible anyway." Natsu grumbled, climbing back up the mountain of pillows and throwing himself across them.

"I'm not supposed to be edible!" He quipped before turning to me.

"What's the news?" I asked and he smiled.

"Porlyusica cleared Erza to continue on with the mission! Gray and Erza want to leave right after Christmas!" Happy proclaimed with a wide grin on his face.

"But-" my eyes widened as I met Natsu's thoughtful expression. He seemed hesitant at first, but surprised us both with his words.

"Sounds good to me." He shrugged before his gaze fell on my nervous look. "Don't worry Luce, I'll protect yah." He assured me, grinning before a yawn escaped him.

"I know you will." I nodded, trying to not get lost in the memories of Erza in a pool of her own blood, of Gray with his shoulder torn up, or of Natsu with the gaping wound in his side. My eyes must have glazed over because Natsu's warm hand grabbed mine, gently pulling me towards him. I dropped onto the pillows next to him, resting my head on his chest, tucked under his chin. My arm wrapped around his center as my body instinctively curled towards him.

"It'll be okay, I promise." His nose brushed into my hair and I nodded. Happy had curled up by my feet and was already snoring. "There's something I have to do tomorrow, so I'll be gone for a few days. I'm going to leave Happy with you again if that's okay."

"I could always come with you." I offered, and his grip on me tightened.

"I want to visit Igneel's place. I restored it before I left when I was kid. It's something I have to do alone, but I'll be back before the end of Christmas. I tend to lose control when I first get there and I'd rather not put you at risk." He responded softly.

"Natsu, what are you going to do when you find Igneel?" It was an honest question.

"When I find him, I want to train with him and learn how to control the other side of me." I nodded again in response before taking a breath.

"Do you promise?" It slipped out with a yawn.

"Promise what?"

"That you'll be back by Christmas." I snuggled in closer to him.

"Of course you weirdo. I'll be back before you know it. Now get some sleep. We can have breakfast before I head out in the morning." He assured me, lips pressing to my forehead again before I let sleep take me.


	8. Revenge of the Eggnog

_Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying the story so far! This was one of my favorite chapters to write, so let me know what you think! I'll be editing and changing a few things in future chapters before posting them, plus my holiday break ends on Friday, so it might take me a little longer to post them! Thank-you so much for reading! (:_

 **December 25th**

"Lu!" I paused mid-stride, Plue running into my leg and tumbling onto the ground. I scooped him into my arms, stepping back out of the forest. "Where are you going? We are having a party at the guild! You have to see the cookies Mira made! There is one for each of us, come on!" Levy smiled brightly, grabbing my hand and tugging me off my path.

"I was going to find Happy. I figured he was at his house." I mumbled an excuse, following after her cheerful skip.

"Happy is at the guild already! He was looking for you actually." She chirped, pushing open the doors to the guild hall. Everyone shouted a greeting, wishing Levy and I a Merry Christmas as we weaved our way through. "This one's for you!" She handed me a sugar cookie shaped as a key, beautifully iced with gold. It was perfect and elegant. Levy perked up and pointed to another. "That one is for Natsu! Have you seen him?" She pointed to the dragon on a volcano.

"He isn't back from his trip yet." Gray wandered over to us, words muffled by the light blue cookie in his mouth.

"But I'm sure he would love it. He should be back sometime today." I responded, meeting Mira's smile. I thanked her, savoring the cookie while I looked at all the decorations and the snowmen lining the yard in front of the guild.

"Here Lu! Merry Christmas!" Levy dropped a gift into my hands and I finished the last of the cookie before fishing her gift out of my bag. We opened them at the same time and nearly fell over laughing. We both bought each other the latest speed readers. I hugged her tightly, thanking her before putting my new glasses away. "Don't go too far! I'm going to get us eggnog!" She ran off, clutching the glasses tightly to her chest. I smiled, wandering over to Gray who had Juvia hanging on his arm. I handed them both a present, smiling widely. Juvia peeled herself off Gray, freeing the deep blue scarf from its wrapping. She squealed, twirling it around her neck.

"Juvia loves it! Thank-you Lucy!" She hugged me tightly, only letting go once she realized I hadn't opened her gift yet. I pulled a small pouch from the gift bag. It held tiny, clear orbs. "They are beads of water. If you crush one, it should give you enough water to summon Aquarius. I filled them myself." She gave me a genuine smile and I wrapped my arms around her.

"Thank-you Juvia, they are amazing."

"Gray helped Juvia. He made the outer shells for the orbs. There was a lot of trial and error" She giggled as I slipped my arms around Gray.

"Thanks Gray."

"Of course. And thanks for the belt." He nudged my shoulder once I released him.

"Someone had to try and deter your stripping habits. We all know Juvia wasn't going to stop it." I teased with a wink before heading off to search for Erza. Throughout my hunt, I managed to give Mira the mittens I bought her since her hands were always cold and to give Cana the whiskey sampler from the East. Apparently, they distilled the smoothest whiskey she ever drank. I even found Happy, giving him the tiny backpack I stumbled upon at the children's store. He flew around with it, saying how he could fill his bag with fish and never be hungry during a quest again. I laughed, eyes following the little guy as he arched through the guild, circling over everyone.

"Lucy." I turned to see Erza standing by the fireplace.

"Erza! I've been looking all over for you. I got this for you." I held the box out to her and smiled. Mira had it stashed behind the bar for me and I managed to snag it while getting cookies earlier. Her eyes widened into perfectly round spheres as she studied the contents of the box. "That's my mom's famous strawberry shortcake! I made it myself. I hope you like it." I smiled softly and she put the box down gently before snatching me. My head thudded against her breastplate as she squeezed me tightly. "Erza, I can't breathe." I squealed, trying to turn my head to suck in air. She released me and handed me a small bag. I peeked inside and my breath faltered. There was a beautiful leather bound journal embroidered with gold and sapphires. A delicate pen was slotted in a box beside it and my wide eyes looked up to see Erza smiling.

"We always see you writing away on loose notebook paper. I figured your story deserved a beautiful medium." She explained and I leaned forward, crushing her to me this time.

"Erza, it's perfect. Thank-you so much!" She nodded, her cheeks rosy as she excused herself to give Gray his gift. I placed everything in my backpack gently, slipping out of the guild to stop by my apartment. I dropped some cookies off at the docks before wandering through the snow. It was peaceful, the ground sparkling as I wandered down the pavement towards home. I had summoned Plue. He always loved the snow, jumping into piles and dancing under the flurries. Once we reached my apartment, I put everything away. I made some tea, smiling as Plue tried to put a Christmas puzzle together on my living room floor. It's all he wanted from the store the other day and I couldn't tell the little guy no.

"Lucy!" Happy had unlatched the window, flying into the room while letting the warmth escape. I yanked the window closed again, latching it swiftly to maintain some of the previous heat. "Why'd you leave? Levy searched the entire hall for you! She almost came after you, but they're all fairly drunk right now. I figured I was the best option and it took a lot to convince them, so come on." His paws grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door.

"Happy, let Plue finish his puzzle and then I'll go back with you, okay?" I smiled softly, freeing my hand from his grasp. He frowned, dropping onto the bed and pouting as I retreated into my kitchen. I heated some of the leftover salmon and placed the plate on the table in the kitchen. As soon as the aroma wafted into the living room, Happy launched himself into the kitchen. His round eyes settled on the plate and I gestured for him to eat it. It only took a head nod, and the little cat was devouring it.

"Thanks Lucy." He mumbled between mouthfuls. I laughed, cleaning up the mess he made before Plue twirled into the room. He tugged on my ankle and I followed him into the living room. The puzzle was finished, taking up the space in front of my couch.

"That looks amazing Plue!" I patted his head with a smile before he disappeared, returning to the spirit world. "Alright, come on Happy." I pulled my coat back on, wrapping a scarf around my exposed neck as I did. I pulled on mittens and let Happy out before locking the door behind me. We hurried through the snow, Happy settling in my arms to share warmth. It had begun to snow a bit harder and the bitter cold wind was brutal. When we reached the guild, sighs escaped both of us. The warmth was thawing our bones and Happy freed himself from my grasp, thanking me before flying off to the dessert table.

"Lu!" Before I could even take off my coat, I was tackled by a very drunk Levy. Her body shook with giggles as I struggled to set her back on her feet. "Someone spiked the eggnog. It's amazing." She blurted, yanking a mug off the table and pushing it into my hands.

"Someone had to make this party more interesting." Cana cheered as she walked by, chugging the once full mug.

"I will make this party even more fun!" A mischievous glint danced in Erza's eyes as she returned from the bar with glasses for all of us. I chugged both drinks quickly while Erza kept her eyes trained on me. Apparently, I had to catch up with everyone else. Despite insisting I only wanted one more, Erza continued bringing drinks like a conveyor belt. It went downhill fast. Within the next hour or so, we were screaming Christmas carols on the top of our lungs and dancing around the guild. Levy and I swung around the center of the hall, giggling and tripping over our own feet. We were interrupted by Erza throwing herself at us, tackling me to the ground.

"Lucy! I need more of that cake right this instance!" She demanded as I squirmed underneath her.

"Didya eat it-all already?" I was bewildered, my words slurring together. I had figured the cake would at least last her the week.

"I ate half and Mira took it away from me! You must make me another!" She grabbed my shoulders, holding me on the ground as I laughed.

"Later, I promise!" I struggled to free myself from her grasp.

"But Lucy-" She growled, fixing a glare on me. Elfman and Gajeel hauled her up and I slipped from her grasp. I sprinted away before she could react, not wanting to be the target of that look. I don't think many people survived that stare when she was sober.

"I don't want a lot for Christmas! There is just one thing I need!" Levy shouted, spinning around me as she pushed her way through the crowd. "And I-" Her arms swung up as she leaped forward. "-don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree." She sucked down air, deciding to skip the next verse and really bring it home. "I just want you for my own! More than you could ever know! Make my wish come trueeeee! All I want for Christmas is you!" She belted, yanking on Gajeel's hands to make him twirl with her.

"Shrimp?" He was bewildered, eyes wide as a blush crept up his neck. My eyes were pulled from them as Gray sprinted across the guildhall, stark naked. Juvia was running behind him, arms full of his clothing as she begged him to at least put boxers back on. I swiftly turned, hoping to get that image out of my mind. Before me, stood Elfman, who was cheering Gray on.

"Be manly Gray! You don't need clothes! A real man doesn't need clothes in the cold!" He shouted as Mira smacked his arm, scolding him for encouraging Gray's behavior. My head was spinning as I tried to follow the chaos that was Fairy Tail. After Cana joined in with Levy's singing, the shorter girl collapsed onto a table, mumbling for Gajeel to come over. Well, that does look rather comfortable. I climbed onto a table as well, curling up into a ball as the party raged on around me.

I dropped into the warmth of the pillow mountain, clutching a dark pink beaded one to my chest. Happy was sound asleep on the top of the mess of colors and the home was quiet. Despite the lack of fire, the cabin was warmer than expected, though that could be from the liquor swirling in my veins. I learned very quickly why I was the only one letting Erza make drinks at the guild hall. Poor Levy was on the floor by the end of the night, having rolled off the table. Gajeel had to carry her home and she was still slurring Christmas carols under her breath to serenade him. When I woke up on the table with Happy curled in my lap, I acted on autopilot, wandering to Natsu's house instead of my apartment. Happy didn't question it, having fallen asleep in my arms on the way over. I had managed to set the story I wrote for Natsu and the assorted hot sauce bundle from the South out on the table before collapsing onto the pillows. I would give them to him whenever he returned. I remained in the pillows for a while, eyes shut tight as I thought over the events of the day. My memories were interrupted. The floorboards creaked ever so slightly and I held my breath, unable to force my eyes open. Whoever was in the house was taking deep breaths between bouts of sniffing the air.

"Lucy." A soft, familiar voice hissed as I felt a presence beside me. There was no use though, I couldn't even slur out a word in response. Gently, claws weaved through my hair, brushing the tangled strands from my face. The lighting in the room changed as the fireplace was lit, a layer of warmth blanketing the home. Rough lips pressed a kiss to my forehead before a blanket was laid out on top of me. I knew who it was and I willed my body to just open one eye or speak one word. Before I could manage, the presence vanished. The only sounds remaining were Happy's tiny breaths and the crackling embers.

"Natsu." I choked out before slipping into a deep slumber.


	9. Into the Darkness

**Hi everyone! I am sorry for the delay, but here is the latest chapter! Since I have a few major edits to make in the next chapter, it might take me a bit longer. I plan on having it posted by Friday! Just a reminder, there will be 13 chapters in total and I hope to have it all posted by the end of next week! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always, feel free to leave any comments/critiques/questions and I'll be happy to answer them! (:**

 **December 26th**

I jolted awake, clutching the downy blanket to my chest as I studied my surroundings. I was still in Natsu's house and the fire was lit, which means I wasn't dreaming the night prior. Natsu had kept his promise and returned, but I was too drunk to acknowledge him. I frowned slightly, pushing myself to stand on the hardwood floor. My eyes fell on the table, noting that my gift was missing. It was replaced with an oddly shaped object, poorly wrapped with newspaper and string. I wandered over, ignoring the throbbing headache making a home in my skull. There was a paper residing next to the gift, so I picked it up, turning it over before reading it.

 _Luce,_

 _I'm so sorry. I tried so hard to keep my promise to you, but you were already asleep when I managed to get here. I hope you forgive me. It's hitting me a lot harder this year than previous._

 _Anyway, I got you something for Christmas and I wanted you to have it before you left for the quest. I wish I could have given it to you in person._

 _Take Happy with you today and don't wander off alone. I'll be back before you know it._

 _Natsu_

The letters were varying in size and orientation, as if it was written in a hurry, by a small child. It was a bit disorienting, but it was still legible. A soft smile touched my lips as I untied the bow and pulled the newspaper off. A small leather pouch embroidered with golden flowers resided within the newspaper. A note was stuck to it.

 _For keys. Prevent theft._

I smiled wider, opening the pouch to examine it more closely. There was something else inside, wrapped in beautiful gold wrapping paper. A red bow was tied around it and I tilted my head as I opened it. Inside, was a beautiful dark pendant. The black stone had specks of color dancing through it. It hung on a silver chain and my eyes widened as I grabbed the note stuck in the pouch.

 _Black opal. Hope like it._

An adoring grin tugged at my lips as I clasped it around my neck, touching the pendant lightly before tossing the wrapping paper in the trash. I clasped the pouch to my belt before tucking my keys inside. Natsu truly was thoughtful.

"Lucy! You're awake!" Happy flew through the open window in the kitchen, landing on the counter in front of me. He was happily munching on a freshly caught salmon. "Did you get your gifts from Natsu? He got me a new fishing pole!" He spoke around the fish and I laughed.

"Yeah. I wish I could've seen him last night." I spoke softly and Happy blinked up at me.

"Too dangerous." His words were muffled. The door shaking pulled our attention and he mumbled something about Gray.

"Lucy? Happy? Time to go!" Gray shouted and I hurried to yank my jacket on and unlatch the door.

"Gray! It's nice to see you fully clothed again." I teased, locking the door to Natsu's home. His cheeks reddened as he pulled his eyes from my direction. "I just have to run home and pack a bag!" He smirked at my words, lifting my backpack and dropping it into my arms.

"Already done, even brought you a granola bar. Let's go." He turned to walk away quickly and I scowled at him, my teasing demeanor gone. While it was a thoughtful gesture, I was not fond of the idea of him rummaging around my apartment and searching through my belongings. If he had simply gotten me earlier, I could have packed my own stupid bag.

"Did you pack this?" His whole body tensed when he peeked over his shoulder to meet my glare.

"No, Erza did. I swear." He assured me before quickening his step towards town. I followed after, Happy right next to me. I pondered this. Though it seemed logical, his reaction said otherwise and I kept my gaze narrowed on the back of his head.

"Where is Erza anyway?" I thought back to the night prior, shivering as I pictured her glare. Hopefully Mira gave her back the cake. I didn't think I could handle being tackled by a sober Erza.

"At the train station." He responded, cutting through the woods to take the short cut into town. I groaned, maneuvering over fallen trees and overgrown shrubbery. One of the tree branches snapped back from Gray and raked across my cheek. I glowered at him, fists clenching as he turned to swiftly apologize.

"Watch it Gray." I snapped, frowning in response to the annoying sting that accompanied the tiny scratches on my cheek. He put more distance between us, jumping over logs and winding in odd directions so I didn't follow directly behind him. If we just walked down the actual street like normal people, it would have been so much easier! We ended up at the train station in ten minutes, only because Gray wouldn't walk at a normal human pace. Erza was already boarding the train and we had to sprint to catch up with her.

"Took you both long enough." She stated, though her voice lacked any true annoyance. Her arms were folded in her lap as she glanced out the window.

"Lucy's fault." Gray crossed his arms over his chest, kicking his legs out in front of him as he sat beside the window. I dropped down next to him, huffing in annoyance.

"No it's not! You didn't give me any time to get ready and you made me hike through the freakin' woods!" I snarled through my clenched jaw, attempting to untangle my hair with my fingers. I had managed to pull all the twigs and leaves from it, but the knots were stuck.

"There's a brush in your bag." Gray muttered and I locked my stare on him, fingers pausing in my blonde locks.

"I thought you said Erza packed my bag." I huffed and Gray's eyes widened.

"Well, yeah, but… common sense…" He slowly inched further down the bench towards the window. I chewed on my lip, pulling my glare away to dig through the bag. The first thing I saw when I opened it was lacy underwear and I turned, my hand instantly smacking across his face. My brain didn't even process the motion until he yelped in pain and surprise. "Why'd you do that?! Blame Erza. She made me pack the stupid bag for you!" He protested, cradling his cheek as a red print blossomed underneath his own hand.

"How about next time you let me pack my own bag? If I knew we were leaving so early, I would've been ready!" I snapped back before turning away with another huff to meet Erza's amused grin.

"You never touch a lady's underwear without asking Gray." She stated simply and Gray's jaw dropped before he mumbled a "whatever" under his breath and proceeded to glare out the window. We all sat in silence then as I ripped my brush through my hair. It was a lost cause though and I ended up tugging a beanie over it before throwing everything back into my bag. I glanced between both mages before my eyes fell on Happy. He was playing with his tail and absently staring out window. Happy was quiet, not even commenting on the whole exchange. It was out of character for the blue cat.

"So, where's Natsu?" I blurted, my thoughts wandering to the fire mage and how he still hadn't shown up. He obviously had to be in the area to drop the gifts off for Happy and I, so why the Houdini act?

"He will be with us in a few days. He told me to go ahead without him." Erza stated and I frowned.

"But, why isn't he here?" I still didn't understand why he had disappeared for so long.

"I'm sure he will explain when he gets back." Gray mumbled, leaning his head against the window. Erza nodded before sinking her teeth into a bite of cake. I guess Mira did give it back last night.

"Oh." It was all I could manage and the two wizards had nothing else to add. It was going to be a long trip. I curled up in the seat, eyes trained on the passing scenery until the meal cart rolled in for lunch. The meal consisted of sandwiches for us and tuna sans bread for Happy. The lunch cart didn't have many options and I picked at the bread and lunch meat before giving the other half to Gray. We eventually pestered Gray until he told us what his final sculpture was going to be. He explained how it will consist of a woman, guiding rain to a small meadow of flowers. A man will be standing behind her, positioned beside a small home while he gazes at her. Since his professor banned him from using his ice make magic during the spring semester, he was using sandstone and seashells to construct the piece. "Who's your muse Gray?" I nudged him with a teasing grin as Erza smirked knowingly, though her eyes were focused on the city skyline visible from the train window. He turned away from me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why do I need a muse? Some artists can do things without muses you know." He retorted.

"Yes, but you can't." I continued. Of course, Erza and I both knew who his muse was this time around, but it was still fun to make him say it aloud. It was a very boring train ride, so it at least kept us talking.

"Why's that?" He snapped, eyes back on me. He was feigning offense at this point because he knew it was true. He had admitted it to us not long ago, when Erza was still recovering in the infirmary. We had spent many nights together, doing school work and having game nights. We learned a lot about each other then.

"The first sculpture of the semester, the one of the dragon's breath. It was totally about Natsu, even if you won't admit that one. Then you did the dancing swords sculpture." I gestured to Erza who nodded with a smirk. "Then you did the two-faced mask, where half the mask was the face of a beautiful maiden and the other half was a demonic monster." I continued and Happy perked up to add to the conversation.

"Which was about Mira! And you did the fish hunt one the week I kept asking you to come fishing with Natsu and I!" He smiled widely and Gray huffed in response.

"And you did the one with the keys and the stars. Unless you know a different celestial wizard or suddenly have an interest in being a locksmith or astronomer, the piece was about me." I continued and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine. I have a muse. Happy now?" He growled.

"Nope!" Happy and I spoke in unison, smiling widely.

"It's Ju...and…" He grumbled, ducking his chin under the edge of his jacket.

"What was that Gray?" Erza leaned forward and he gave an exacerbated sigh.

"Not you too Erza." She simply smirked as we all waited patiently. "Fine. It's about Juvia and I. Happy? Now drop it." He blurted and curled his body towards the window, shutting his eyes.

"Awww!" Happy and I teased as Erza smiled triumphantly. "We all think it's sweet Gray. Juvia is going to love it." I continued and though he ignored me, a small smile touched his lips. We all sat in silence once again. Happy curled in my lap and Erza focused on the scenery once again. I ran my fingers through the short blue hairs, smiling as Happy purred softly. After another hour or so, Erza eventually caved and ordered a few movies, playing them on her phone. I moved to sit next to her, Happy settling back on my lap with one eye open as we watched the different films. Gray had pulled out his sketchbook and passed the time by drawing. We crashed at a hotel for the night without incident and after another train ride and a few more movies, we ended up in Morrison by midday. I stretched my limbs, following Erza and Gray out of the station. We paid for a single hotel room, dropping our stuff there and heading back out into the town. We had spent a few hours on the train making a plan of attack for when we arrived. Each of us was taking a quadrant of the town, chatting with townspeople and gathering information about the clubs Lauraline frequented. It was a busy town and Erza didn't think anything would happen during the day, so we split up. Divide and conquer always seemed like a solid and efficient plan during a quest.

"Remember, don't leave your quadrant and keep your phone on you at all times. I want updates every hour. If you run into trouble, do not face an enemy alone. Run through another quadrant and find someone else." Erza stated firmly and we all nodded.

"Aye sir!" Happy shouted before flying off on his own. Without Natsu, we needed Happy to talk with the townspeople too. I said farewell to Erza and Gray, setting out towards the cafe in my quadrant. I could gather information while grabbing coffee. The coffee on the train had tasted like mud and I was itching for something sweet and caffeinated. The bell dinged as I stepped in, the tantalizing aroma of hazelnut dancing around my nose. The cafe was fairly busy, most of the tables occupied by groups of people chatting and individuals working on computers or reading the paper. I walked up to the counter, eyes trained on the case of baked goods. There were so many options and my mouth was watering.

"Hello ma'am! Welcome to the Speckled Mug! What can I get for you?" A young guy stood tall at the register, a wide smile on his face and a green speckled apron tied around his waist.

"Could I have a honey mocha latte and two honey butter biscuits?" He nodded with another smile, swiping my card as he stepped back to retrieve my latte and food. I basked in the calming atmosphere of the cafe while I waited. It was the complete opposite of the cafe on campus. There, everyone was rushing and trying to get caffeinated before facing the day. Here, people went at their own pace, enjoying their drinks and the morning. I pulled my gaze from the various patrons when the worker returned. He set a mug in front of me, it was speckled with pink markings and I smiled softly as the steam escaped from the coffee. He set my heated biscuits next to the mug. Noting the lack of line behind me, I decided to question him a bit.

"Can I help you with anything else?" He asked politely, retrieving a rag to wipe down the counter with.

"Well, I'm new to the area and I was wondering if you knew of any dance clubs in town?" I bounced on the balls of my feet, smiling sweetly at the worker. He thought over my question for a moment before responding.

"Well, yeah. There's three clubs in Morrison! The most popular one is Mystic, but I would avoid that one if you can. Clayton's and The Fishbowl are just as great and they're less crowded!" He answered and I tilted my head.

"Why should I avoid Mystic?" He flinched in response to my question.

"I mean, there's just a new crowd that settled there. A lot of the girls that come in here say they creep them out."

"A new crowd?" I pushed further and he sighed.

"Yeah, they're from a dark guild called Lunar Eclipse." My breath caught in my throat and he rushed to reassure me. "Don't worry about it though. I've never seen any of the members around here and they don't really bother non-wizards." My eyes caught the mark peeking out under his shirt though and I frowned.

"You're in a guild though." I insisted and he flinched again.

"Yep, I am. I'm in Lamia Scale. The name's Lyon." He responded and I smiled softly. I slid my glove off and held my hand up to him.

"My name's Lucy and I'm in Fairy Tail. I guess I should keep my gloves on in the club." I mused and his eyes widened, his entire body tense.

"Lucy of Fairy Tail? You need to get out of here. Go back home, stay with Gray. Lay low." He insisted, tossing my biscuits into a bag and dumping my latte in a to-go cup. He pushed it towards me.

"Wait, why? How do you know Gray?" I was baffled and he pushed it closer.

"Go. Now." He insisted and disappeared into the back. I grabbed my stuff and hurried out the door, continuously looking over my shoulder as I walked. The encounter freaked me out and I didn't even get to ask Lyon about Lauraline. I sipped at my latte, weaving through people as I maneuvered around the city. Once I finished my latte, I tossed the cup and munched on the biscuits. They were absolute heaven and the mid afternoon snack was the only positive of the day. I thought over the conversation as I walked. Lunar Eclipse was the dark guild Natsu had mentioned. The creepy mirroring mage was a member. Maybe the bandana guy actually was a member too? I frowned, focused on the cobblestone beneath my boots. I nearly smacked into someone and mumbled an apology under my breath.

"You know, you're a lot prettier when you smile." The woman teased and I scowled.

"Yeah, thanks. Excuse me." I muttered, trying to make my way around the woman, but she refused to move. I hit her shoulder and shoved by her, stomping off down the street. The sun was setting and I found myself in front of Mystic. The music was shaking the building and I felt my bones vibrating from the bass. Well, Erza never said to avoid night clubs. I flashed my ID, forcing a smile while the bouncer looked me over. Though judging my appearance and wearing a frown, he still let me in. Yes, I wasn't really dressed for a club. I didn't plan on staying long though. I stumbled through the crowd, eyeing the bar as I walked across the dance floor. I pulled my hood up, making sure my gloves were on before continuing through. If I could just catch a glimpse of the dark guild, I might be able to put the pieces together. The music pulsed in time with my heart beat and I couldn't focus on anything else. The music, the strobe lights, the giggling and chatter, the dancing bodies inhabiting every inch of the dance floor. It was disorienting and I tried to scan the crowd for anything out of the ordinary.

"Look who came after me this time? I love a good game of cat and mouse darling." A sickening voice cooed over my shoulder and I spun, hand reaching for my pouch of keys. "Looking for these?" The man dangled the pouch from his index finger as I turned to face the familiar tattered bandana. Damn it. I stepped backwards, trying to think of an escape plan before large arms wrapped around me. A needle pierced my neck and darkness swallowed my consciousness.


	10. Prisoners

_Author's Note:_

 _Hi everyone! I'm so sorry that this is a little later than I intended. This week has been crazy with classes starting and being in the lab frequently to work on my research. It has been a lot to juggle and I really wanted to change a few things in this chapter before publishing it! I finally had time today to work on it and I'm happy with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy it and I would love to know what you think! I hope to have the last three chapters up sometime next week. Thank-you for your support!_

 **January 2nd**

Droplets of blood coated the floor as a rough cough shook my body. My arms were numb, my hands chained above my head to keep me from fighting back. The tips of my toes could just brush the ground, keeping my body from hanging completely. Splotches of purple and blue were spread over my skin, decorating my body underneath the slashes. My memory was hazy and I couldn't really piece together exactly what the past few days consisted of. I remembered the bandana man at Mystic and getting jabbed in the neck. I remember waking up in the trunk of a car before screaming until I passed out. I remember waking up chained to the ceiling with just a thin pink dress on and I remember chewing my lips while fists pounded my flesh and fingers broke various bones in my right arm as different people questioned me about Natsu, Gajeel, Fairy Tail, and my father. I didn't have any answers for them, so they proceeded to use a burning blade to carve into my flesh. I forced out vague answers then, anything to get them to stop, and they still weren't satisfied. I was unable to recall the questions they asked or the answers I gave them. My brain could only focus on my aching limbs and burning flesh as the wounds stretched every time I moved. A few days had passed, I knew that much. They force-fed me some kind of liquid substance every afternoon, probably with enough nutrients to keep me alive and slightly coherent. For the first few days, I was completely alone. The only interaction I had with others consisted of different forms of torture and questioning. When I looked up today though, a young girl was chained to the floor across from me. Her dark blue hair hung in knotted ringlets and she was wearing a tattered yellow and blue striped dress. Her hands were chained in a way that her palms faced one another and she had some sort of intricate symbol carved underneath her. Her frail body was terribly pale and bruised, though it was free of any cuts. The girl was probably half my age and my heart broke for her. She groaned, her eyes fluttering open. They were bloodshot, probably from crying and she gasped when she met my stare.

"You must be Lucy." Her voice was fragile as she whispered matter-of-factly. "I'm so sorry." I was at a loss for words, my mind spinning. How did this girl know me? "My name is Wendy. I'm the sky dragon slayer. Natsu talks about you a lot." She explained further and my jaw went slack.

"You know Natsu?" My voice was shaky and the tone surprised me. It was weak and I realized that I had lost the will to fight back the day prior when they carved through the guild mark on the back of my hand. I bit my lip, disappointed in how quickly I gave up.

"Of course I do! He protects me in the winter when we become dragons every year. Without him and Gajeel, I'd be hunted. I'm so young that I don't pose much of a threat on my own yet." She explained, a small smile on her cracked lips. That explains why he was gone. It was part of the curse and maybe all the dragon slayers lose themselves every winter.

"You were with him this winter?" My head tilted slightly, as much as it could without making me dizzy.

"Mhmm. We are usually dragons the last week of December as the year transitions into a new one. Natsu always experiences it worse than us, so he is always there when I change." Her eyes were bright as she spoke fondly of the fire dragon slayer.

"How'd you end up here Wendy?" She shut her eyes in response to my question, tears welling in the corners of them as she looked away.

"We were attacked. Rogue and Sting got away, but they caught me. Gajeel had already returned to Fairy Tail. He always has the shortest transition. I was with Natsu, having just switched back when they attacked. Rogue, Sting, and Natsu fought them off to the best of their abilities, but the twins gave up and fled. Natsu was stabbed through the chest when I was taken. I don't know what happened to him." She cried, sobs shaking her small body. My heart faltered, the world slowing down around me. I could only focus on my heartbeat. Natsu's toothy grin formed before my eyes.

" _Don't worry! I'll protect yah!_ " It was a promise he made to me before he left and he always kept his promises. I swallowed my next coughing fit down harshly before speaking.

"Wendy, I'm sure Natsu is okay. He's the strongest wizard I know! If he is unable to come get us, I'm sure Fairy Tail is already on their way. Someone will be here." I promised her and in a way, promised myself. That thought was the only thing keeping me going. She studied me through her tears and nodded sternly, sniffling as she did.

"How touching." Bandana man smirked, his body leaning against the entrance way. "Lucy, I really don't enjoy hurting you. I just need information on the dragon slayer's location, the status of your guild, and your father's phone number. It's all straight forward, my love." He insisted, freeing one of his blades from behind his back as he stepped into the room.

"You have a twisted way of showing your love, ass hole." I spat, a scowl on my face.

"My name is Bartron. You know this, sweetheart." He snapped, his grip tightening on the blade. Bartron, that's right. He told me that before. "Now be a good girl and tell me where Natsu Dragneel is." He hissed, blade pressing into my center, already cutting through the thin material of the dress.

"Stop! Bartron, I sense him nearby. He's not alone either." Wendy blurted, her eyes wide with terror and locked on the blade in his hand. Bartron paused, lifting the blade every so slightly as he studied the sky dragon slayer.

"You wouldn't be lying to me Wendy, would you? I'd hate to tell the master that we are down one dragon slayer. It'd be a shame, but we could make do without you." He stepped forward, bending down to cup Wendy's chin with his free hand. He stared into her eyes and she frowned.

"He will be here soon, so I have no reason to fear you anymore." She quipped, her gaze hard. He shoved her chin away with a frown. He turned back towards me, pulling a cloth bag from his back pocket.

"Sorry my love. Looks like there is a change of plans. We can't have Salamander finding you just yet." He yanked the bag over my head in one swift motion, blocking my connection to my surroundings. Wendy yelped and I could only assume he did the same to her. The chains unlatched from above me, a sigh of relief escaping my lips as my arms relaxed at my sides. They were still tingling, numb from being chained above me for an extended period of time. I was forcibly shoved around the room, my hands and ankles locked together to restrict my movement. This lasted a few minutes until I was shoved into a small space, a door swinging shut behind me. Various locks clicked into place before the bag was yanked off my head. It took a moment to process the new surroundings. I was in a cell, within a new room. Runes lined the walls, harboring complex designs similar to those of Freed's enchantments. There was a smaller cell next to me, Wendy having been shoved in it. The entire room was roughly the size of a janitor's closet, my cell the size of a bathroom stall. I dropped to the ground, pulling my knees to my chest while Bartron smiled. "That's a good girl. Now just stay here for a while until the threat passes. Don't miss me too much while I'm gone." He winked and slipped out the door, more locks clicking into place and sealing our fate.

"Lucy, can I see your right hand, please?" Wendy blinked up at me, eyes pleading as she extended her hand. I nodded, threading my fingers through hers as best as I could. Sharp pains shot up my arm and I chewed on my lip to hold in the sobs threatening to escape. Wendy whispered softly, gentle light soothing the pain in my arm as it faded into my skin. I yanked my hand back, staring in awe of the sky dragon slayer. The wound through my guild mark was pulled together, leaving a thin pink line that was hardly noticeable. All of the pain in my arm was alleviated and I locked eyes with Wendy. She took a deep breath, falling back against the wall of her cell. Sweat beaded on her brow as she blinked a few times, seemingly disoriented. "Sorry, that is all I can manage right now. Is there any pain left in your arm?" She whispered softly, sucking in another gulp of air.

"It's perfect. Thank-you so much Wendy." I blinked back tears, extending my hand to her once again. She grasped it tightly, squeezing my fingers. "Why didn't you heal yourself first?"

"You were in more pain. I could sense it." She assured me, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the wall.

"Did you actually sense Natsu nearby?" I whispered, unable to stop the hopeful tone from escaping.

"No. I'm sorry. I can only sense other dragon slayers when I'm in my dragon form. That was the only way I could think of to stop Bartron from hurting you anymore." She frowned, tears escaping the corners of her eyes and dripping down onto the already damp, cement floor.

"Thank-you. I can't thank-you enough for what you did for me." I smiled softly at the young girl, trying to smother my aching heart. She nodded, tears still flowing. We sat in silence for a while. We couldn't hear anything outside our room and that was weighing heavily on me. "Wendy?" I glanced back over at her and her eyes fluttered open. "How does dragon slayer magic work?"

"It's very complicated, but I can try to explain the basics. Natsu, Gajeel, and I were taught this lost magic by the dragons who raised us. Natsu was raised and taught by Igneel, I was raised and taught by Grandeeney, and Gajeel was raised and taught by Metalicana. We each use a specific style of dragon slayer magic. I have sky dragon magic, Natsu has fire, and Gajeel is the iron dragon slayer. To increase our magical power, we can ingest our element and we also have physical characteristics to protect ourselves from the harsh magic we use. When our dragons disappeared, we all received the curse of the dragon. That's what allows us to transform into dragons. Usually anger and anxiety triggers the transformation, but we all learned how to control our emotions to prevent harming anyone. We end up suppressing it so much that at the end of every year, the dragon half takes over. Does that make sense?" She thought for a while before speaking. My brain struggled to keep up with everything, but it worked to piece it together. Then, my thoughts wandered to Bruce, the mirror mage who copied Natsu's magic.

"Yeah, it makes sense, but Natsu was mirrored by a wizard named Bruce Reckiv. How is something like that possible?" It just wasn't adding up for me.

"Natsu told us about that actually. Bruce isn't really a 'mirroring' wizard. He actually steals another wizard's magical energy as well as their physical appearance. In that case, he took Natsu's magic and his physical characteristics, including his dragon lungs and scales. While most people would have no idea how to use another wizard's magic, Bruce had been following Natsu for some time. It's why Natsu told us because he was worried we were being followed by others as well." She frowned before continuing. "Anyway, Bruce was only able to use the attacks that he saw Natsu use before and they weren't at full strength because he still didn't know how to use all that power very well. When he borrowed Natsu's magic, the curse followed and that's why he triggered the transformation the moment he got even slightly angry. He didn't have experience controlling it and that's what led to his downfall. He was a naive wizard and took on more than he could handle." She spoke with a bitter tone, her gaze distant. Her fingers clenched my hand tighter and she took another deep breath. "It's also why I'm so worried about Natsu. He isn't at full strength because his body is slowly rebuilding the magical energy Bruce stole." My eyes widened and I clenched her hand back. "But you're right. Natsu isn't one to give up. We shouldn't lose hope." She gave me a reassuring smile and I did my best to reflect her optimism.

"Why was Bruce following Natsu though? Do you know why dragon slayers are being targeted?" Though I wanted to continue being optimistic, my curiosity got the better of me.

"Yeah, Bartron's boss is the leader of the dark guild, Lunar Eclipse. She's been hunting us to steal our magic. Her father is some king and she wants to overthrow him, so she's been getting desperate. I've only heard bits and pieces of conversation between guild members, but her name is-" The door slammed open, the metal denting as Bartron stomped into the room. He unlocked Wendy's cell, throwing the door open and tangling his hand into her hair. He pulled her up so she was dangling and she squealed, struggling against his grip.

"You lied to me, you pathetic excuse for a dragon slayer! We checked all of our scanners and the entire parameter and Salamander was nowhere in sight! I'm not fond of liars, you know this and yet you still lied to my face." He slammed her body back against the wall and fixed a glare on me, raising his blade with his other hand.

"I'm going to ask one more time Lucy. If you don't answer me, I'm going to slit this pathetic liar's throat!" He pressed the blade to her throat and I was frozen. My lips wouldn't move to form words. My limbs didn't even react when Wendy's hand was torn from my grasp.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a wizard." Wendy squeaked, eyes opening to fix a glare on Bartron.

"I'M A PATHETIC EXCUSE?" He snarled, lifting her to slam her body against the wall once more. The wind was knocked out of her and I pushed myself to my feet.

"You are a pathetic excuse for a wizard because you use your magic to harm innocent people. You are greedy and expect that people will give you anything you want when you flaunt your power. Lunar Eclipse is a sorry excuse for a guild and I hope the other dragon slayers and Fairy Tail takes you down. Even if I die, I don't care, as long as you and your stupid guild never get what you want." I growled through my clenched jaw, tears streaming down my face. I was done rolling over and giving up. Bartron wouldn't get the last laugh, we would. He tossed Wendy into the corner of her cell, her body collapsing after her head smacked off the cement. With complete fury, Bartron ripped the locks off my cell and shoved in, lifting my body off the ground, holding me against the wall with his hand wrapped around my throat. He was crushing my windpipe and I struggled to breathe against the force.

"You are so mistaken and misinformed, my love. We are the superior wizards, we know what this world truly needs to have balance and order. Whether you die or not, the dragon slayers will be captured and their magic will be ours. Tell me where Salamander is and I will let you live and forgive the false accusations that slipped from your beautiful lips." He snarled, grip tightening as I tried to fight against him.

"Sir!" A younger woman stumbled into the doorway, her shoulder gushing blood as she nearly fell into the room. "The fire dragon slayer is here." She cried before crumpling to the ground in agony.

"Looks like he came to you." I spat as the ground shook, explosions sounding from below us. Bartron's grip loosened and my body slipped, hitting the ground. The floor was hot underneath me and I knew then that Natsu wasn't holding back. He would burn the entire building to the ground, even with his magic depleted.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy shouted, startling Bartron and I, as a tunnel of wind shot from her mouth. It crashed into Bartron, sending him flying out of the room, his blade clattering to the floor. Her body collapsed on the ground, her arms shaking as she pushed herself to lock eyes with me. I was bewildered by the power from the smaller girl and she grinned at me. "You were right." She stated simply before her eyes fluttered shut once again. The ground tilted and my body swung backwards, smacking against the wall. Natsu must have knocked out a support beam or a wall. Flames shot up from the stairwell across from our room as a body formed in the entrance way. Natsu stood, crimson scales covering his entire body, wings expanded behind his back as spikes stretched down his spine. His feet scorched the ground as he walked, leaving burnt footprints in his wake. Crimson blood dripped from his claws as he stretched them. His fangs were fixed in a snarl as he sniffed the air. His wild eyes fell on me and I couldn't help myself.

"Natsu!" I cried out, struggling against the chains that bound my ankles. His wings expanded behind him, sending his body catapulting towards mine. He settled as close as he could get to me, pressing me against the wall. He tucked his nose against my collarbone, inhaling deeply. His entire body relaxed as he nuzzled against the base of my throat. His hand jolted, his talons effortlessly snapping the chains binding my hands before he bent and snapped the ones around my ankles. I struggled to lift my week arms, letting them fall around his shoulders as he supported me with his own rough arms. He pressed his forehead against mine gently, not wanting to harm me as he breathed deeply again. Tears streamed down my cheeks and he pulled back, licking at them gently with his forked tongue. "I knew you would find me. You promised you would protect me and you kept it." I continued sobbing as he smiled widely. He gently tugged at my hair, swiftly tying it into a mess of a bun with a tattered ribbon. "Natsu, what-" my words trailed off though. A small orb settled between us and Natsu quickly shoved me back, keeping his fingers flexed so his talons wouldn't impale me. His wings expanded and I hit against the wall as the orb exploded, sending Natsu flying to the other side of the room. He shoved himself up, growling as Bartron jumped at him.

"Blades of agony!" He shouted, swiping his swords down before sprinting to grab me. He hauled me over his shoulder after locking chains around my wrists and pulled me from the room. I flailed, screaming and kicking as he tried to bring me through another exit. Natsu roared charging at us, but two figures cut him off. I wiggled until I slid far enough down to sink my teeth into Bartron's shoulder. Coppery blood pooled under my teeth and I bit harder until he slammed my head into the wall. The room spun as he dragged my body towards an elevator. Natsu jolted forward, slamming his talons through Bartron's chest and the man wailed. Both men were thrown backwards as a woman jumped into the elevator. She spat at me as the doors slammed shut. We shot up to the roof and she hauled me onto some sort of plane before latching the door shut.

"Natsu." I whispered weakly, all the energy drained from my body. The woman smirked, narrowing her gaze at me. There was another person in the plane, seated in the back. I met the man's eyes and gasped. "Lyon?" He wore a frown, his brow furrowed as he pulled his gaze from me. I was in shock and very lost as to what was happening. It was then I noticed that I was breathing heavily and that the inside of the plane was spinning. I tried to hold tight to consciousness, but I was slipping away too fast.

"You'll never see dragon boy again." The woman hissed and my vision faded before I could respond.


	11. Trust Fall

_Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm finishing up the editing for the last chapter and the epilogue as well, so I should have them posted soon! We are in the homestretch of the story and I hope the ending is worth the wait! Just another quick note, I am working on a brand new NaLu story that will be a lot longer than this one. It's called Never Look Back and I will be posting the first chapter soon! Thank-you for your support and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!_

 **January 8th**

My vision was fuzzy, the world spinning around me as I gathered my thoughts. Natsu. He was right in front of me. I was in his arms and he didn't even come close to hurting me, even in his dragon form. He worried so much about losing control and harming everyone he cared about, be he was strong. He was stronger than he realized. I clenched my jaw. It was just a tease, though. We hadn't won and it only fueled my fire. I couldn't lift my wrists to fight against the heavy chains that were weighing my arms down, but I wasn't going to give up. I turned to face the blank wall, examining the mostly barren room. I was chained to a bed, that much was clear. My blood was soaking into the paper thin sheets, yet my body was numb. With the lack of pain, I should be able to handle rubbing my wrists raw in hopes of sliding my hands from their restraints. I needed to conserve what little energy I had left first, before I could even attempt that. The door clicked open and a short woman stumbled in, pulling me from my thoughts. I fixed a glare on her.

"You've been out for days. You need to eat." She placed a cup on the tray near my head. The straw was angled towards my lips and the woman scowled before slamming the door shut behind her. I groaned, turning my face from the drink. Hunger wasn't gnawing at my center anymore, the feeling not really a concern of mine. As I turned my head, something in my hair shifted. Despite my body being weak, I was able to curve my wrists, allowing my hands to settle in my tangled locks. My fingers gripped the metal and yanked it from the messy bun Natsu had made. It was one of my celestial spirit keys. Tears welled in my eyes as I willed the gate to open. I had no idea who it would summon, but I trusted Natsu and whatever decision he made. Virgo formed in front me, eyes wide.

"Princess. Now is it time for punishment?" She blinked, leaning closer to examine me.

"Break these chains. Please Virgo." I begged, chewing on my lip as she nodded.

"As you wish." Effortlessly, Virgo snapped the chains, freeing my arms from the restricted position. I took a deep breath, struggling to push myself up. She assisted me to my feet and I swayed slightly, gripping onto the small end table to regain my balance.

"Can you get us through the floor? It might spare some time and throw them off for a bit." I huffed and Virgo nodded, scooping me up into her arms and drilling her body through the ground. We landed in the middle of a kitchen, a few guards dispersed throughout with plates of various foods. Virgo charged forward, taking a few guards out. Adrenaline pulsed through my veins and I jolted into action. I couldn't even process what was happening as I grabbed a skillet off the stove and slammed it across a guard's face. It burned his cheek as he crumpled to the ground. I tossed the skillet away, grabbing a pot from the sink and slamming it over another guard's head. I spun, Lucy-kicking him straight in the chest. He stumbled backwards, arms flailing until he smacked the pot off the counter, his body collapsing. Virgo had managed to take out the rest of them, giving me time to kneel and catch my breath. Falling through the ceiling definitely caught them all by surprise, giving us the advantage to act before they could process what was happening. If they had been wizards, we would have been screwed.

"I'm sorry Princess. I cannot stay any longer." Her voice faded as Virgo dissipated, returning to the spirit world. I knew I was low on magical energy and I didn't dwell on it for too long before returning her key to the mess of hair on my head. I shoved myself up, knowing I had to keep moving if I wanted to get out of here. I slid through the slightly ajar door, checking the hallway before stumbling down towards the stairs. I was leaving a faint blood trail in my wake, but there was nothing I could do about that. I clutched onto the windowsill, steadying myself on my aching feet so I didn't face-plant in the hallway. I had to find an exit, any exit. That was my only chance. Once I was free, I could get help and come back to find Wendy, if she's even in this place. I took another shaky, deep breath, trying to ignore the pain that was burning through my body now that the numbness had worn off. The sound of a tongue clicking in disapproval startled me.

"You've been a very bad girl, my love. How'd you get out of those chains?" A voice taunted me and I cursed softly under my breath, ignoring the bone-chilling air seeping through the window as I turned. "You know, nothing would have happened to you if you just gave up the location of the last few dragon slayers and the status of your stupid guild. The dad thing, we could have worked through later, but you would have been safe. Why did you have to fight?" Bartron growled, fists clenching. He was hunched, bandages wrapped tightly around his chest.

"I would never tell you anything that would put the people I hold dear in danger. I'd rather die." I spat, sucking down another gulp of air.

"That might be arranged now, Lucy. Boss lady is pissed and she's out for blood now. Your friends are almost here and we can't risk that mess again. Come quietly or I'll use force." I backed up against the edge of the window, eyes shutting as I thought over his words. My friends were almost here. There was still hope. "Your dragon is dead girly. I killed him myself. He did a nice number on me, but he let his rage get the best of him. Come with me." He continued and my body froze, my ears ringing as tears streamed down my cheeks. He couldn't be dead. Natsu wouldn't break his promise to me like that. It wasn't in his nature. Someone like Bartron could never kill someone like Natsu. It wasn't plausible, and yet, Wendy had said Natsu was badly wounded. He had used a lot of his magical energy protecting her when they were attacked. Then he set the entire building on fire when he came to rescue us. If Natsu had died, trying to rescue me, how could I live with myself?

"Then just kill me Bartron. I'm done fighting and I won't give you any information. Just know that my friends won't stop, even after I'm dead." I shouted, my throat burning as I sobbed. I fell to my knees, devastated and tired. He freed the blades from his back, stepping forward slowly. I didn't know what game he was playing, but I was done.

"Such a pity." He sighed, blades hanging at his sides as his shoulders slumped. My eyes snapped open, a sound from outside catching my attention. It was far away, but I'd know that sound anywhere. It sounded like home. I pushed myself up, freeing Virgo's key from my hair, yanking strands out without a care. I slashed it through the screen, opening the door to freedom for me. "Lucy!" Bartron jolted forward as I threw myself out the window. I shut my eyes as I fell, not truly knowing how far the drop was.

"NATSU!" I shouted, the air distorting my voice as I fell. The world slowed down around me as my brain pulled me into a memory, distracting me from the height of the drop.

 _"Found it!" I shouted in triumph, yanking the ribbon off the highest branch of the oak tree in the center of campus. Levy almost had me there. Her clues would have sent me scouring through the woods around campus if Natsu hadn't mentioned the single tree in the center of the courtyard. I had sprinted away from him, shouting a thank-you over my shoulder. Levy and I had this game where one of us would hide a peach ribbon somewhere on campus and give the other person three clues. Whoever was searching had a day to find it or they bought coffee for the person who hid the ribbon. Looks like Levy was buying coffee today! I smiled widely, bending to tuck the ribbon into my back pocket. As I did so, my other hand slipped off the bark and my breath caught in my throat. I scrambled to grab back onto the branch, but it was too late. I tumbled out of the tree, eyes shut tight as I screamed. The wind was knocked out of me when I hit something that didn't feel like the ground._

 _"Luce, you're okay. Open your eyes." A calm voice spoke from above me. I slowly opened them to look directly into a familiar onyx gaze._

 _"Natsu!" I blurted, throwing my arms around his neck tightly, tucking my head under his chin. Natsu had caught me, saving me from various broken bones and a potential concussion. "Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you." I held tighter and he chuckled. When he put me down, his fingers wrapped around my wrist. He pulled me back towards him, enveloping me with his warmth as he hugged me. "Really, Natsu. Thank-you for catching me." I spoke softer this time and looked up to meet his gaze._

 _"I'll always catch you, Lucy." He smiled widely, stepping back before brushing my tangled hair out of my face with his hand._

 _"And I'll always catch Natsu!" Happy exclaimed, his smile wide as he perched himself on Natsu's head._

He said he would always catch me and I had to believe that, especially now. His name left my lips once more and I was hit with something warm. It wrapped around my body, holding tightly. I opened my eyes to see Natsu's confident, toothy grin right before he spun us to hit the ground, his body taking the brunt of the blow. We were both bleeding and battered, but alive. Natsu was heavily bandaged, but he was alive. He blinked a few times, the fall disorienting for both of us. He pushed us up, curling my body in his lap as he nuzzled his nose against mine, holding me tightly.

"Luce. I was so freakin' terrified that I wouldn't make it in time. I thought I was going to lose you." He admitted softly, his voice shattered as he buried his face in my hair.

"You came back." It was all I could manage as sobs escaped me once again. I was overwhelmed by the situation. He is alive. Natsu is right here with me.

"I promised, didn't I? I'll always protect yah." He whispered and I untangled myself from his grasp. His eyes widened as I placed both my hands on his cheeks. I yanked his face forward, slamming my broken lips to his as the adrenaline from the fall still pumped through my veins. I poured my heart and soul into the kiss, losing myself to the pressure of Natsu's lips. We melded together effortlessly, his fangs gently nipping at my lips as they parted slightly. He licked his way into my mouth, pulling my body closer to him. My heart was thundering in my chest and we both almost died, but all I could focus on was Natsu. He yanked his face away abruptly, giving me a brief second to see the pure panic in his eyes before catapulting us off the ground.

"Blades of misfortune!" The rubble that we once laid in turned to dust as the dark purple arches cut through it. Natsu placed me on my feet and turned swiftly, positioning himself in front of me with flames dancing on his fists. "How dare you put your lips on my love? Lucy is destined to be with me or destined to die!" Bartron growled as he tore the bandana off his face. His eyes were dark pits, narrowed to glare at Natsu.

"Sorry to break it to yah, but Luce is mine." Natsu hissed, fangs bared as claws formed on his fingers. Dark energy congealed on Bartron's blades and he lifted them to attack.

"Ice make snow tiger!" "Ice make lance!" Two voices shouted in unison as the attacks targeted Bartron, the lance impaling his shoulder as the tiger latched onto his side. The two ice mages launched themselves from the surrounding forest, eyes wild. "Ice make prison!" Gray flipped himself over Bartron, trapping the man under intricate bars of ice.

"Popsicle?" Natsu blurted, shocked by the appearance of our friend.

"Lyon?" I was bewildered by the other ice mage, who was shooting various attacks at his former ally. He met my gaze and smiled softly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you on the plane. It would have prematurely blown my cover. I'm making amends for it now." He assured me, before sprinting forward to assist Gray.

"Get Lucy out of here Pyro! We can handle this. Ice make shield!" A large wall of ice took the brunt of Bartron's dark energy as Gray spun. "Ice make ice bringer!" Two swords formed in his hand as he slashed them down on Bartron. Natsu's hand found mine, his claws retracted. He tugged me away from the battle, heading towards the forest. A dark wall formed in front of us, towering over the trees and blocking us from entering the forest. Two men and a few Doriks formed from the wall, eyes locked on us. I shrunk back behind Natsu, cursing myself. I was useless without my spirits.

"Requip: flight armor! Sonic claw!" Erza. Her voice echoed around us as she blurred by, carving her blade through the men and dark creatures. "Natsu! Lucy! Go. Gajeel and Levy need help taking down the barrier." She ordered and Natsu growled, yanking me away from the battle. We sprinted around the outside of the building. There was silence between us besides our heavy breathing.

"Water cane!" The woman standing before us was hit by a whip of water, sending her body flying from our path. "Juvia will handle her!" The water mage growled, her eyes holding fury. "This woman tried to hurt Gray. Juvia will meet you at the exit point." She snarled, sprinting forward to continue her attack on the woman. Natsu didn't hesitate, continuing to pull me along until we reached Gajeel and Levy.

"Solid script: iron!" Levy shouted, seconds before Gajeel inhaled the solidifying words. His wounds were pulled close by iron, the blood drying on his body.

"Thanks Shrimp." Gajeel huffed, an adoring glint in his eyes as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand. Both of them were panting, bruised, and bleeding. Despite this, Levy threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around me, separating Natsu and I.

"Lu! You guys are just in time. Here, help us break the barrier." She placed the familiar pouch and whip in my hands and my jaw dropped. My spirits were safe in my possession once again and I found myself able to breathe easier. "Wendy found them!" She gestured to the smaller dragon slayer.

"Wendy!" I dropped to my knees and hugged the smaller girl to my chest. There wasn't a scratch on her and she looked healthier.

"Lucy! Let me heal you. Stay still." She slipped from my grasp and held her hands over the worst of my wounds. A gentle cooling sensation settled over them as the wounds were pulled close. She swayed slightly, stumbling backwards and into Natsu's arms. "Natsu." She smiled widely and he hugged her closely.

"I'm glad you're okay Wendy. I'm so sorry." He whispered into her hair and she pushed him away.

"There's nothing you need to apologize for. They underestimated me and I was able to escape. They know the true strength of a dragon slayer now and I'm here to help, so that's what matters! Erza said we have to combine our magic and break down the barrier." She had a spark of determination in her eyes and it had an effect on all of us.

"Right! Let's do this guys!" Natsu's fists clenched and he turned towards the wall.

"Open! Gate of the golden bull! Taurus!" I shouted, feeling what little magic energy I regained leave my fingertips.

"Can I get a smoooooch?" Taurus bellowed out as he formed before us.

"Taurus, when everyone else attacks, hit the wall with all you have!" I pointed to the barrier and he smirked, nodding and turning towards it.

"Solid script bullet!" "Sky dragon's roar!" "Iron dragon's lance: demon logs!" "Fire dragon's brilliant flame!" My friends shouted, their powers assaulting the wall as Taurus launched himself forward to join.

"Rampage!" He shouted, shaking the ground with his power. The combination of attacks shattered the barrier and everyone let out a sigh of relief. Levy leaned onto Gajeel for support as his arms curled protectively around her. Taurus returned to the spirit world, unable to say anything before my magical energy depleted. Wendy stumbled backwards, Natsu falling to his knees to catch her before she hit the ground. We were all exhausted, but grateful that our method worked. The relief was short-lived though. Everyone tensed as clapping sounded behind us. I slowly turned to look over my shoulder, eyes falling on a beautiful woman, standing tall with a deep red dress hugging her frame. Her hair was wild, framing her sharp facial features. She was the woman from the alley before I got to Mystic. What was she doing here? Her hands clapped together mockingly, a smirk on her face.

"Thanks for the show. Too bad you won't have the strength to do it again." She laughed as another barrier replaced the shattered wall.

"Lauraline." Natsu growled and my heart clenched. She simply smiled, eyes locked on the fire dragon slayer.

"It's been a long time, Natsu."


	12. The Heiress

**January 8th**

Tense didn't even begin to describe the state of the group as our eyes all fell on Natsu. Lauraline stood tall, smirking down at the dragon slayer.

"Lucy. You need to run. Find Erza or Gray and stay with them. Now." Natsu snarled under his breath and I chose to ignore him. Rather, I stepped closer to him and entwined our fingers. He tugged on his hand, his eyes not leaving Lauraline. I refused to let him pull away.

"Gajeel. Wendy. Always a pleasure as well. I'm so happy you all decided to deliver yourselves to me. It makes the situation much more convenient. Using that bimbo as a pawn was exhausting, especially with Bartron drooling over her. No matter, it's behind us now. She and the other little fairies will die and the dragon slayer magic will be mine." Lauraline stood tall, dark magic dancing around her fingers as she spoke mockingly. Flames wrapped around Natsu's wrists and ankles as he bared his fangs at her. I squeezed his hand, urging him to calm down to think rationally.

"Why use me? We took the quest to try and save you! We wanted to help you!" I shouted, bewildered by her betrayal.

"You were the easiest target and for whatever reason, Natsu is smitten with you. He doesn't think rationally when you're in danger plus he can round up the ragtag team of wizards to come after you. Plus, your little friend over there has the heart of the iron dragon slayer. It was all too easy really. You fairies are so predictable. I've been watching for a long time now. I thought my cover was blown years ago, when Natsu was just a boy. He didn't catch it though, didn't sense the darkness coming to life within me, so I was safe. It was all too easy, really. You fell for the ruse. I will harness the dragon slayer magic and I will take down my father. He is weak and spineless, a pathetic excuse for a ruler. Lunar Eclipse will be the strongest guild and we will run and protect the kingdom. It was even an added bonus that we could blackmail your father into paying for a new guild hall for us. It's a pity we won't be able to cash in on that, but it's better to let bygones be bygones. We will leave less of a trail this way." She spoke tauntingly, Natsu's breathing was ragged as claws formed from his fingers, scales emerging to cover his skin. They were rough against my arm, but it only made me move closer to him.

"You sure like to hear yourself talk Lauraline. You're awfully confident for someone who stands alone before three dragon slayers and two other Fairy Tail wizards." He growled and twisted laughter shook her frame as she lifted her hand and flicked. My hand was torn from Natsu's grasp, my skin scraping along his scales as I flew backwards, my body colliding with the barrier of dark matter. I crumpled to the ground, groaning from the impact. Levy landed beside me, sprawled out in the dirt.

"Lu." Her arm shook as she reached for my hand. Our fingers entwined, reassuring each other that we were okay. Natsu's eyes were blazing as he turned to meet my gaze. The golden irises were full of rage. _I'm okay Natsu._ I willed him to hear my thoughts, but it was no use. He was already transitioning. His wings burst from his back, expanding behind his frame as he snarled, fire twisting around his arms and legs. His snout formed over his snarl, fangs enlarging. Gajeel's arms were iron as he stood defensively with Wendy at his side, wind whipping around her body. Lauraline smirked at the display, amused by their defensive stance. A shrill scream escaped me as arms wrapped around my center. Bodies phased through the barrier, surrounding Levy and I.

"Focus on Lauraline! Wendy and I will protect them." Gajeel snapped, kicking off and sprinting towards Levy. He smashed his arm into the body holding her, the person dropping to the ground. A wave of fire was aimed at me and my assailant. I kept my eyes on it the entire time, believing in its power. It crashed into us, lighting my attacker aflame while the embers danced on my skin. A small smirk touched Natsu's snout before he launched himself at Lauraline. Wendy appeared at my side, fending off the other attackers with her sky dragon magic. I refused to be helpless. I refused to be the damsel in distress, unable to simply protect myself while the others fought on. I pushed myself to my feet, gripping my whip tightly in my hand. I grunted, flicking the whip around a man's wrist, yanking him towards me and kicking him square in the chest. He flailed backwards, right into a wall of fire Levy had manifested with one of her solid script spells. We locked eyes with determined smiles. Even with our depleted magic, we could tag team. And that's just what we did, taking on attackers one at a time. We weren't strong enough to take out multiple like Gajeel or one on our own like Wendy, but together, we could be of use to the dragon slayers. I was too focused on the task at hand to watch the fight between Lauraline and Natsu, but I had complete faith in my dragon.

"Fire dragon's crushing fang!" Natsu hissed, fire licking across Lauraline's skin.

"Dark flight." She stated, her voice twisted as dark energy formed wings on her back. She launched herself off the ground, easily matching Natsu's every strike. A fist hit across my cheek, sending me stumbling back. I was leaning against the barrier, eyes wide as I wiped the blood that tendrilled down from the corner of my mouth.

"Lucy! We have to focus!" Gajeel crashed into the attacker before me, iron cracking the jaw of the man. I blinked a few times, flicking most of my blood off my hand. Right, focus. I nodded firmly, grasping the whip tightly in my hands and jolting forward to rejoin Levy. The fight continued on, slash after slash, soldier after soldier. Time ticked on agonizingly slow as we took down every attacker. The members of Lunar Eclipse seemed endless and we were all breathing heavily, severely weakened at this point with our magical energy depleted.

"Fire dragon's roar!" The vocalized attack caught my attention and I turned to see Lauraline forming dark matter in her hands as she smirked.

"Dark counter!" The menacing ball of energy collided with Natsu's wave of fire, the powers imploding upon impact. Both Natsu and Lauraline were sent flying from the aftershock and Natsu's wings had dissipated, his body free falling. No.

"Natsu!" I used my elbow to hit an attacker across the face before sprinting out into the clearing. Though I stumbled a few times, I ignored the burning pain in my feet and the throbbing in my legs. What I was feeling, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered to me in that moment was free-falling from the explosion. I extended my arms, Natsu's battered body colliding with mine as we both hit the ground. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close to me as we tumbled across the ground. The momentum kept us moving until my back smacked against a boulder, knocking the wind out of me. I tightened my grip on him, hoping I could shield him from the impact. His eyes slowly opened, trying to focus on my face. They were onyx once again and the scales had already retreated back under his skin.

"Luce? Nice catch." He muttered, his eyes slipping shut again as I held him tighter, pressing my lips to his forehead. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I clutched onto his body.

"You are both pathetic. I will consume the dragon slayer magic and I will be stronger than my father!" Lauraline shouted, shoving herself up from the rubble left by the impact of her body. Darkness arched towards us and I wrapped my body around Natsu, turning us swiftly so I was a barrier, prepared to take the hit.

"Lucy, run! You have to let go of me." Natsu pleaded, his eyes wide as he struggled to shove me away from him. He was being foolish, actually thinking that I would abandon him at a time like this. Without him, Fairy Tail didn't stand a chance against Lunar Eclipse. We were too broken. Our guild and Lauraline's kingdom, they needed Natsu. To be completely honest with myself, I needed Natsu. Sacrificing myself to save him, the dragon that means everything to me, I would be okay with that. I was willing. Everything that we have been through. Every quest, every battle, every milestone that strengthened our bond and that brought us to this very moment; I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. I didn't have any regrets and I only hoped that Natsu would forgive me. I wrapped my legs around him, keeping his body from moving as I shut my eyes, tucking his head under my chin.

"It's okay Natsu. Let me protect you, for once." I whispered softly and his body stilled in response to my words. I took a deep breath, feeling the mass of dark energy approaching. This is-.

"Lion's brilliance!" Loke. My eyes snapped open, my grip on Natsu loosening as I looked over my shoulder. The light from the attack scattered the darkness and the celestial spirit turned his back on the heiress. He knelt in front of us and held his hand out, palm up. A flame danced on his palm and he leveled it with Natsu's face. "It's a gift from Levy." It swiftly expanded in his hand and Natsu freed himself from my arms, effortlessly consuming the flame.

"Thank-you Loke. Please, protect Lucy." Natsu stood, his body hunching as he struggled to keep himself upright. He locked his gaze on me and smiled softly. "Don't be so reckless." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Before I could protest, Loke scooped me up in his arms and took off. I struggled against him, but it was useless. He didn't let me go until we were a reasonable distance away and I had no hope of interfering with the battle. "Happy, perfect timing." Natsu glanced up to see the blue cat land on his shoulder. Happy was in rough shape, but he smiled at his friend. "Now I've got a fire in my belly." Fire formed around his fists and I struggled against Loke's grip on my wrist.

"Natsu!" I shouted, fear settling in my core. Even with the flames from Levy, Natsu was in rough shape.

"Don't worry Lucy. I'll always come back to you." He assured me, a toothy grin on his face as he looked over his shoulder. "I promise." With that, he jumped up, Happy clutching onto his back as his small white wings manifested. I could only watch as fire nearly engulfed Natsu's entire body, his eyes locked on a bewildered Lauraline. Dark energy escaped the barrier, the walls shortening as the energy pooled at her feet. Tendrils stretched up her legs as she scowled, urging it to move faster. Happy released Natsu above her and swiftly took cover as the fire expanded. "Crimson lotus: exploding flame blade!" The fire was brilliant as it collided with Lauraline. Natsu attacked directly, not giving her time to gather her attack or defenses. It was a brilliant, but foolish strategy. The impact could destroy both of them. The light was blinding. We all turned away from the impact. Loke stood in front of me, shielding me from the heat radiating from the attack. When the smoke cleared, I shoved by Loke, sprinting towards the two bodies on the ground. Lauraline was knocked out cold, her body scorched and battered. I dropped to my knees beside Natsu, his body not moving. Stretches of purple and blue littered his skin, wounds cut deeply wherever the tendrils of darkness had touched him. You brave, powerful, reckless, caring, idiot. I couldn't stop the tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Why are you always the hero?" I pulled his body up, resting it against my own as I sobbed into his shoulder. He was unresponsive and I shouted for Wendy, pleading that the dragon slayer closed his wounds to give him a fighting chance. There was commotion all around us and I blatantly ignored the arguing and yelling. Metal covered arms wrapped around me, yanking me away from Natsu. I struggled against them, kicking my legs as I screamed for Natsu to wake up.

"Please calm down. We are soldiers from the kingdom, here to retrieve the heiress and the wizards who were able to put an end to her madness. You need to get to the infirmary." The man spoke calmly, holding tightly onto me as I fought against him.

"Please. Just let me stay with Natsu." I begged, going slack in the man's arms. I felt defeated and useless. I couldn't help Natsu right now. I couldn't even get him to open his eyes.

"You will be reunited with Salamander after your injuries are taken care of. The rest of your guild and the other dragon slayers are already in the vehicles. Please be rational." He explained and I didn't have any fight left in me. All I wanted was for Natsu to wake up and give me the confident smile, assuring me he will be fine. That's all I needed, to be okay.

"Lucy? Come on. They'll take care of Natsu." Erza had wandered over to us and I met her pained expression. She placed a hand on my shoulder and the soldier relaxed his grip on me.

"I can walk." I whispered and the man released me. I stood beside Erza and she gave me a reassuring smile. Together, we limped to one of the emergency vehicles. The last thing I saw was Natsu being carried off by a soldier, Happy drifting in the air right behind them. I shut my eyes, relieved that the small cat was with him. He's not alone anymore.

"We will be okay, Lucy." Erza stated firmly and despite everyone being hurt and separated, I believed her.


	13. Epilogue

**August 2nd**

Erza was right. Everyone really was okay. After the battle, we were all separated and treated in the infirmary. Since Wendy had healed most of my wounds, I just needed rest and a break from using my magic for a little while. I let my thoughts wander as I playing with my pen and stared at the swirls of letters on the page in front of me. _I had a few broken ribs and a sprained wrist from when I caught Natsu, but the pain was bearable and I longed to see everyone else. Wendy had sat with me for days, keeping me company while I waited at Natsu's bedside for him to wake up. She assured me that the nurses let her heal him and that he just needed time to pull himself together and rebuild his magical energy. The king had insisted on honoring us, so I was forced to leave the small room to attend the banquet. It was lovely and everyone was laughing and dancing. Levy and Gajeel were dancing and enjoying each others company. Together, they twirled in the center of the room with the rest of the guild around them. I was so happy for them and a small smile had touched my lips when they were the only two remaining on the dance floor, despite Gajeel's original protests when Levy insisted they danced. Gray had spent most of the evening with Juvia, only separating to speak with Lyon before he returned to Lamia Scale. They were old friends, having trained under the same ice wizard when they were kids. Wendy was busy dancing with Erza until the desserts were laid out on the banquet tables. Nobody stood in Erza's way once she spotted the strawberry cake, beautifully decorated with swirls of glaze and chocolate covered strawberries. I had stood to the side, enjoying the sight of my fellow guild mates celebrating. Happy had come to retrieve me, soaring over everyone as his body vibrated with excitement. Natsu had woken up. Before Happy could even finish talking, I sprinted from the banquet hall, leaving my confused friends and the party behind. I had thrown the door open and sprinted halfway into the room before my momentum stopped. My heart was thundering in my chest and I gasped, tears welling in my eyes. Natsu was sitting up, his back supported by a mountain of pillows. They were of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. A laugh bubbled up and escaped my lips. Even now, after everything that had happened to us, he was still the same Natsu, the same dragon, that I had fallen in love with. Despite the fact that he could hardly keep his eyes open, he managed to push himself out of bed and stumbled towards me before falling into my arms. My knees dropped onto the hardwood floor, my body curling around him. We stayed like that for a while, his eyes shutting again as his nose nuzzled my collarbone. He inhaled deeply, snuggling closer after every breath. We didn't speak, but we didn't really need to. We were both alive and well. That's all that mattered. The nurses had thrown a fit when they did their nightly rounds, helping him back into the bed. I stayed at his side while he healed and we spent most days talking about what happened, about us, about the future._ I smiled softly, the memory slipping away as I continued writing. The days had flown by and Natsu continued getting stronger. Eventually, we had to return to the university and back to reality. They brought us back in March, but the dragon slayers stayed behind. Natsu had to regain his full strength before venturing out and he insisted that an elderly wizard there could help all the slayers harness their powers. I wasn't going to stand in his way, even if I didn't fully understand the training. He always found his way back to me. Why would this time be any different?

Everything had returned to normal when we arrived back at school. It was August already and our summer classes were ending right before the fall semester could start again. Throughout the summer, Natsu wrote many letters. He was learning a lot and growing stronger everyday. I smiled softly as my fingertips brushed the most recent letter from him. It was written in sparkling gold ink and talked about how he wanted us to visit Igneel's place, together. He wanted to show me where he grew up, the place that made him into the mage he is today. I tucked the letter away, with care, and continued writing our story. I had changed our names, of course, but other than that, the story was true, every last detail. Levy leaned over my shoulder, her eyes skimming the page.

"You're using that as your final project?" She was baffled, which I expected. The story had to be peer reviewed by the entire class and yet, I decided to write about something and someone very close to me. The last sentence formed in beautiful script on the page before I closed the journal Erza had given me for Christmas. I smiled widely at Levy, my heart content with my decision and with my work.

"Yep. It's a gift, to Natsu. It's our story. Well, its really Fairy Tail's story. We have all been through a lot and I think our story deserves to be told. I only had time to write one story, so I figured I could use it for class and still have it to give to Natsu when he gets back. I didn't want to run out of time and it had to be perfect." I shrugged, capping my pen. Everyone in Fairy Tail had a special place in my heart. Gray, Juvia, Erza, Happy, Gajeel, Levy, and Wendy, who ended up joining Fairy Tail, put their lives on the line to save me. Lyon even had a place in my heart after he explained his role in Lauraline's plot. He was observing her, pretending to be a loyal follower until his guild could strike. We just beat them to it. I am forever grateful for my friends and for a place I can call home.

It was hard to believe, really. The following week would mark a year since I stumbled upon the fire dragon slayer on that bus. It marks a year since he welcomed me into his family. This story, our story, was my way of thanking him for everything he has done for me. Levy dropped back onto her seat with a knowing grin. I always had a certain look on my face when I got lost in my thoughts and she didn't question it anymore. The class settled around us and our professor began lecture for the day. She went silent, a few minutes into the lesson on peer review sessions. Everyone's eyes turned to face the courtyard, shock on their features. Brilliant flames danced in the window, arching into the sky and twirling towards the classroom. Fire.

"I'll be back!" I assured Levy before sprinting from the classroom and towards the blaze.

"Hey, lady! You're suppose to run AWAY from fire! Not towards it!" Not me. The man meant well, but that logic just didn't apply to me anymore. See, in the center of fire is where I can typically find my best friend, the love of my life. So, I'll always run to it. I ran until my eyes caught the familiar pink spikes, sparkling onyx eyes, and that scaled scarf. I jumped forward, throwing my arms around Natsu's neck as he pulled me closer, his arms circling my waist. The warmth of the flames danced on my skin and he nuzzled his nose in my hair.

"Heya Luce. Sorry I took so long." He whispered into my hair before his lips pressed against my forehead. I glanced up at him, locking my eyes with his loving stare. He smiled widely, fangs glistening in the jubilant embers from the flames. Light and adoration danced in his eyes and I smiled, pressing my nose against his gently.

"I didn't doubt you for a second. You are my dragon after all." An even wider smile blossomed on his lips right before I sealed them with my own.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_** _That's a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was my first ever NaLu fic and I'm really happy with how it turned out! Thank-you so much for your comments and support. If you are interested in my other works, I will be posting the prologue and first chapter of a new NaLu fic! It's called Never Look Back. I'm hoping to have it up tonight or tomorrow! Those updates will be a bit more infrequent, as I am nowhere near finished with writing it (it will be a long one!). I do have a lot written so far though, so I hope you take a look at it. Thanks again! (:_

 _~Jess_


End file.
